The latest Apple Watch’s big main draw was the double tap gesture control, but now the wearables maker is performing a more lethal kind of double tap on its latest Series 9 watches and premium Ultra 2 device. The company has already taken the device down from its online store, and in just two days, you’ll be cut off from buying them in person at Apple stores.
Due to a major patent dispute over the company’s blood oxygen monitoring feature in the latest watches, Apple is halting all sales for its most recent wearables by Christmas Eve. The Cupertino company announced earlier this week it would take the wearables off its online shop by Dec. 21, 3 p.m. ET, and the device will leave the Apple online shop by the end of Dec. 24. The ban will impact all of the company’s retail apparatus, but don’t worry too much since you can still access the Apple Watch through chains like Best Buy and Target.
It’s all due to an ongoing patent tug-of-war with medical device maker Masimo, which makes a blood oxygen monitoring solution. The California-based health-tech company has argued that the Apple Watch violated two of the company’s patents, and the International Trade Commission agreed earlier this year. Masimo’s CEO Joe Kiani claimed earlier this week his company was willing to settle with Apple, though he was much more hesitant to say what sort of payout they’d wish to get from one of the world’s largest tech companies.
While there will likely be other aftermarket means of acquiring the watch, the limited supply could also dramatically increase Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 prices. Apple was working through the week to come up with some changes to the blood oxygen sensing algorithms to keep the items in stock, according to Bloomberg, but as of Friday, the company shared no new insights on changes to its wearables. Apple tried to delay the ITC’s import ban, but the company’s appeal was denied Wednesday.
The tech giant was hoping for a hail mary veto from the Biden administration, but without it, the ITC’s full ban is to take effect Dec. 25. White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters Tuesday that deputy trade representative Katherine Tai was “carefully considering all the factors.” Unfortunately for Apple, there doesn’t seem to be any Christmas miracle coming before the biggest holiday of the year.
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