American legal blow just before Christmas. Apple has decided stop the sale of Apple Watch cold in the U.S. As it is. Both models will disappear from stores starting December 21 on the web and starting December 24 in physical Apple Stores.
The affected models are the Apple Watch Series 9 and the Apple Watch Ultra 2. A decision by the United States International Trade Commission (International Trade Commission or ITC) has caused this movement that will undoubtedly affect sales of the Christmas campaign.
The worst development for a patent war
From 9to5Mac they have received the statement that describes the origin of this unprecedented fact: a patent war between Apple and Masimo, a Californian company that manufactures non-invasive medical sensors. It turns out that both companies have had a long-standing dispute claiming rights to some of the Apple Watch sensors.
The crux of the matter is specifically in the blood oxygen sensor of these watches, on which Masimo believes that Apple has infringed a patent. Since the Apple Watch SE does not have that sensor, it is not affected by this litigation and can continue to be sold without problems. It also does not affect watches from other brands. Apple has released the following reflection in a statement:
Apple teams work tirelessly to create products and services that empower users with industry-leading health, wellness, and safety features. Apple strongly disagrees with the order and is exploring various legal and technical options to ensure Apple Watches are available to customers.
Should the order stand, Apple will continue to take all necessary steps to return the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 models to customers in the United States as soon as possible.
President Joe Biden could use his veto power to overturn this measure
For Masimo CEO Joe Kiani, things are clear. The executive stated in October that “Even the largest company in the world is not above the law”. Masimo also tried to stop the sale of the Apple Watch Series 6 at the time, but was unsuccessful.
This can significantly affect Apple's sales just at the worst time for these things to happen: during the Christmas season. However, there is a glimmer of hope: the source comments that President Joe Biden could exercise his veto power on December 25 at the latest. If it happened, Apple could continue selling its watches as if nothing had happened. I wouldn't be surprised if Tim Cook's phone is contacting the White House right now.
Will Apple Watch continue to be sold in Spain?
The good news is that this measure is only restricted to the United States. The rest of the countries in the world can continue selling the Apple Watch Series 9 and the Apple Watch Ultra 2 without problems. Therefore, if you were thinking of buying one of these models these days, You will not have a problem beyond whether or not there is stock.
Even so, the fact that this point has had to be reached is very bad news for sales figures in the United States. And it must be taken into account that that country represents a good part of the income that Apple obtains at a general level. The countdown begins to try to avoid this withdrawal.
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