CUPERTINO, CA — Apple Inc. has announced plans to temporarily cease the sale of select Apple Watch models by the end of this month due to an ongoing patent dispute concerning the devices' blood oxygen monitoring capabilities.
The tech giant stated that it is "proactively taking measures to comply" in the event of a sustained ruling from the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) regarding the patent conflict.
In correspondence with CBS MoneyWatch via email, Apple disclosed, "This includes suspending the sales of Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 from Apple.com, effective December 21, and from Apple retail outlets starting December 24."
The legal contention revolves around the blood oxygen functionality featured in these devices, enabling users to gauge the oxygen levels in their blood. According to the Cleveland Clinic, diminished blood oxygen levels can potentially result in severe health complications.
Apple's decision follows an ITC ruling that accused the tech giant of unlawfully integrating blood oxygen technology from Masimo, a medical technology company. The commission mandated Apple to halt the importation of these devices. A presidential review panel is currently reassessing the ITC's directive, with the review period set to conclude on December 25. In response to this impending deadline, Apple is withdrawing the affected devices later this week.
"Apple vehemently disagrees with the ruling and is exploring various legal and technological avenues to ensure continued availability of the Apple Watch for consumers," the company asserted in its email.
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