Apple Bids Farewell to Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 in US Market
It's time to bid adieu to the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 in the US, as confirmed by the tech giant to CNN. The reason for this departure? A raging conflict with medical technology sensation, Masimo, over Masimo's pulsatile light-based oximetry technology - a patent dispute thatApple seems to be infringing upon.
Here's the lowdown on this developing story:
Worth a Look:
The patent war between giants Apple and Masimo has led to the halting of sales for the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 in the U.S. The bone of contention? Apple's use of blood oxygen sensing technology - a feature Masimo believes to be a patent infringement. Subsequently, the United States International Trade Commission (ITC) slapped an import ban on these models. In a bid to challenge the ban, Apple came knocking with a stay request, but alas, was met with a swift denial. This leaves Apple with no choice but to halt sales temporarily in the US, while the blood oxygen feature in these models continues unhindered in other markets[1][2].
Sources: [1] [2] Additional details about the dispute can be found in the enrichment data section below.
Enrichment Data:
Apple faces a patent dispute with medical device company Masimo over its use of blood oxygen sensing technology. Masimo claims that Apple's technology infringes upon its patents, leading to the United States International Trade Commission (ITC) imposing an import ban on the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2. Despite Apple's attempts to challenge the ban, the request for a stay was denied. In response, Apple temporarily halted sales of these models in the US, while the blood oxygen feature continues to function in other markets. The blood oxygen sensing technology, also known as pulse oximetry, is a non-invasive method used to monitor blood oxygen levels. Masimo's technology uses pulsatile light to calculate blood oxygen saturation, or SpO2. While Apple is the latest in a series of companies Masimo has taken legal action against, this dispute highlights the complexities of integrating advanced health features into consumer tech products.
