OAN’s Brooke Mallory
1:28 PM – Monday, December 18, 2023
Due to a patent disagreement, Apple has decided to stop selling new iterations of its popular smartwatch, the company announced on Monday.
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The blood-oxygen sensor on the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 is the focus of the move and patent disagreement.
A federal trade regulator discovered in October that Apple had purportedly infringed upon the patent of Masimo, a medical technology business located in California. The decision prompted the Biden administration’s 60-day review period, which concludes on December 25th.
“Apple’s teams work tirelessly to create products and services that empower users with industry-leading health, wellness, and safety features,” according to the company’s statement. “Apple strongly disagrees with the order and is pursuing a range of legal and technical options to ensure that Apple Watch is available to customers.”
Masimo, on the other hand, commended the conclusion reached by the International Trade Commission.
“After a thorough multi-year legal investigation, the ITC found that Apple infringed certain of Masimo’s patented innovations for measuring blood oxygen,” Masimo said.
“The ITC’s expert judgment in this matter should be respected, protecting intellectual property rights and maintaining public trust in the United States’ patent system, and encouraging US industry,” they added.
Apple will stop selling the new smartwatch models online on December 21st.
On December 24th, retail establishments will likewise stop carrying these smartwatches. However, Apple also said that the devices will still be sold outside of the United States.
In a separate case, Massimo has been accused by Apple of copying its smartwatch’s patented features.
The Apple Watch Series 9, which debuted in September, is priced between $399 and $749, and the company highlighted the blood-oxygen sensor on the gadget as a “breathtaking innovation.”
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