Apple has nerfed its latest smartwatches in a bid to keep selling them in the US.
Apple is now selling its latest Series 9 and Ultra 2 smartwatches in the US without the ability to measure blood oxygen. Here’s what you need to know.
Apple is now selling its Series 9 and Ultra 2 smartwatches without the ability to measure blood oxygen levels in the United States as part of an effort to continue selling its latest smartwatches amid its patent dispute with Masimo.
“The ability to measure blood oxygen is no longer available on Apple Watch units sold by Apple in the United States beginning January 18, 2024. These are indicated with part numbers ending in LW/A” Apple now says on the US shopping page for its Series 9 and Ultra 2 watches. Customers who purchase these smartwatches will reportedly still see the Blood Oxygen feature icon when using them, but when they open it, the watches will inform them that “the Blood Oxygen app is no longer available. Learn more in the Health app on your iPhone,” as told to Bloomberg news.
What Happens to the Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 Units That Have Already Been Sold in the United States?
If you bought an Apple Watch before the current stock, you’ll still be able to use the blood oxygen measurement feature. Additionally, units in international markets will still have this feature, since the patent dispute doesn’t apply there. This means, existing customers who were worried about losing this feature in a future software update can breathe easy.
The Patent Dispute Still Lingers
This sudden change is the result of a federal court decision holding that Apple may no longer stay the ban on its smartwatches so long as it is in active dispute with Masimo over the blood oxygen sensing technology.
In case you didn’t know, Apple was found to be infringing on a patent owned by medical equipment maker Masimo. The patent is related to measuring blood oxygen. Additionally, Masimo accused Apple of poaching its employees to work on similar tech for the Apple Watch.
This led the International Trade Commission (ITC) to issue an import ban on Apple, prohibiting the company from bringing in any Apple Watch with blood oxygen sensing. And this is exactly why the much cheaper Apple Watch SE 2 was exempted from the ban, and continues to sell as is.
