Apple Watch Latest Model No Longer Available for Sale in the United States
President Joe Biden's decision not to intervene has led to the newest Apple Watch being discontinued in America, leaving consumers without access to the popular smartwatch
The latest Apple Watch will no longer be available for purchase, as President Joe Biden chose not to take emergency action to override a ruling that prevents the sale of the popular smartwatch due to patent violations. Biden's decision not to intervene means that the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2, along with other newer models, will not be on store shelves.
Apple has removed the Watch models that were found to be in violation of a pulse oximeter patent from its online store and the latest top-of-the-line watches are no longer in stock at Apple Store locations. The ban affects the Apple Watch Series 6 and later, as well as all models of Apple Watch Ultra. The cheaper Apple Watch SE, which was not implicated in the ruling, is still available for purchase. The ruling was made by the US International Trade Commission in October, citing a patent held by medical device maker Masimo that uses light-based technology to read blood-oxygen levels.
Other retailers such as Amazon and Best Buy are still selling their remaining inventory of Apple Watches in stores and online, while the ITC ruling is preventing Apple from importing more of the smartwatches to the United States. Despite Apple's consistent marketing of the smartwatch as a life-saving device, its dispute with Masimo could jeopardize its reputation and global sales.
Apple took the proactive step of removing the Series 9 and Ultra 2 versions of the Apple Watch from stock in preparation for the upcoming ruling. The 60-day review period on the ITCs ruling will end on Monday unless Biden intervenes. In response, Apple stated that they strongly disagree with the order and are exploring various legal and technical solutions to make the Apple Watch available to customers. Additionally, Apple has committed to taking all necessary actions to reintroduce the Apple Watch to US customers in the near future.
The company might be able to modify the software to alter the way the Watch interacts with the pulse oximeter, avoiding infringement of Masimo's patent. However, this process could be time-consuming and there is no certainty that the ITC will approve of Apple's proposed solution.
Masimo CEO Joe Kiani accused Apple of intentionally violating his company's patents, despite years of ongoing disputes between the two companies. In October 2022, Apple initiated two patent infringement lawsuits against Masimo.
While Biden did not intervene, there is a precedent for a president to overturn the ITC. In 2013, President Barack Obama vetoed an ITC ruling that would have banned older iPhones and iPads after finding that Apple had violated one of Samsung's patents.
