The sale of the Watch Series 9 and Watch Ultra 2 by Apple in the US was barred last year due to a patent dispute with Masimo, a medical technology company. Nonetheless, a temporary hold on the ban enabled Apple to carry on with the sale of its latest smartwatches. Now, it appears that Apple is considering disabling the blood-oxygen functionality on these two watches to prevent a permanent ban, as the disagreement is connected to SpO2 (blood oxygen level) sensors.
By deactivating the SpO2 sensor on the Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2, Apple could avoid a permanent ban in the US, continue the sales, and later restore the functionality through a software update once an agreement is reached between the two parties.
Apple Watch Series 9
According to reports, Apple has begun shipping the Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 with the SpO2 feature turned off to retailers, and has instructed them not to open or sell the watches. However, the functionality will still be accessible to users in the US until a final decision is made.
It is also important to note that the SpO2 functionality will continue to be available to users of the Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 outside the US, regardless of the outcome of the US appeals court decision, as the dispute specifically relates to sales within the US.
