Following Thursday's removal of the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 models from Apple's US online store, Apple on Sunday stopped offering these devices through its physical Apple Stores in the United States. The only place you can find an Apple Watch Series 9 or a Apple Watch Ultra2 The model in the United States is available at stores such as Best Buy, Walmart and Amazon while they last.
Tomorrow, Christmas Day, Apple employees won't just have family reunions and vacations on their minds. December 25 ends the 60-day presidential review period following the ITC's announcement of an import ban on
Apple Watch Series 9 And
Apple Watch Ultra2. The ban was announced following a ruling by an ITC judge stating that Apple had infringed patents owned by Masimo for the pulse oximeter used on the affected Apple Watches.
The second-generation Apple Watch SE is not affected by the import ban because the device does not have a pulse oximeter. If the president doesn't come to Apple's rescue by vetoing the ITC's exclusion order, Apple can still try to bring back the watches by disabling the pulse oximeter on affected models, or by entering into an agreement with Masimo and agreeing to license the patent. Masimo CEO Joe Kiani said that before agreeing to sit down with Apple, he wanted the company to apologize.
The Apple Watch Ultra 2 was removed from Apple Stores in the United States today
Apple engineers are also reportedly working hard to replace the algorithm and other software related to the pulse oximeter with new code that does not infringe on Masimo's patents. But because the patents are primarily related to hardware, it doesn't appear that making changes to the software would allow Apple to evade the ITC's exclusion order.
A pulse oximeter measures the saturation of oxygen carried in a person's red blood cells and a normal reading would be between 95% and 100%. Readings below this range suggest a problem called hypoxemia which could be a sign of heart or lung problems.
If the White House announces on Christmas Day whether President Biden will veto the exclusion order, we will relay that information to you. You may recall that in 2013, Apple was subject to a product ban by the ITC after it was found to have infringed on some of Samsung's patents. Several Apple devices sold by AT&T, such as the
iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPad 3G, iPad 2 3G, and iPad 3, were facing an import ban until President Barack Obama vetoes it.
As for President Biden, there is no indication from the White House that he is leaning in any particular direction.
