Roman GłogulskiApple announced that starting from Thursday, it will disable the blood oxygen monitoring function on two of its most popular watch models in the USA. This decision is a result of a court order reinstating a sales ban related to a patent dispute. As a result, consumers who purchase the Apple Watch Series 9 or Ultra 2 in the USA will not have access to this feature.
Initially, these watches were supposed to remain on sale during the dispute due to a temporary court order, but the federal appeals court refused to extend the order. Therefore, Apple decided to disable the blood oxygen monitoring function on the models sold in the USA.
This decision is due to the ruling of the US International Trade Commission from October last year, which stated that the blood oxygen level sensor in Apple Watch models infringes on the patents of Masimo, a company. Apple is appealing this decision, but the appeals process can take at least a year.
With approval from the US Customs and Border Protection, Apple made modifications to the Series 9 and Ultra 2 models, which disable the blood oxygen monitoring function. However, these watches will still display the Blood Oxygen icon to inform users that this feature is not available.
Individuals who have already purchased the Series 9 and Ultra 2 models in the USA will still have access to the blood oxygen monitoring function, which will remain active on watches purchased outside the USA.
Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 are among the most popular watch models worldwide, and their exclusion from sale in the USA could have an impact on the company’s annual revenue of $383 billion. Although Apple does not disclose the exact number of Apple Watch units sold, analysts estimate that they generate approximately $18 billion in annual revenues.
The cheaper Apple SE watch model is not affected by the changes resulting from the dispute with Masimo, as this model never had the blood oxygen monitoring function. However, this feature, introduced in 2020, was an important part of Apple’s strategy to position the watches as life-saving and health-monitoring tools for users.
In its argument before the court, Apple stated that the court order would cause unnecessary harm to a “groundbreaking product created by an American company that directly employs over 90,000 workers” in the USA.
Masimo claimed that the sales ban would not significantly harm Apple considering that the majority of the company’s revenue comes from iPhones. Additionally, Masimo tried to portray Apple as a corporate infringer that shamelessly steals intellectual property widely used in hospitals and by other medical specialists who annually treat approximately 200 million patients.
Below are frequently asked questions (FAQ) based on the main topics and information presented in the article.
1. Why is Apple disabling the blood oxygen monitoring function on certain watch models?
– Apple’s decision is due to a court order reinstating a sales ban related to a patent dispute. The blood oxygen level sensor in Apple Watch models infringes on Masimo’s patents, therefore Apple has to disable this function on watches sold in the USA.
2. How long will Apple’s appeals process against the US International Trade Commission decision take?
– The appeals process can take at least a year.
3. Will individuals who have already purchased the Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 in the USA still have access to the blood oxygen monitoring function?
– Yes, individuals who have already purchased these models will still have access to this function. The function will remain active on watches purchased before the disabling.
4. How will this affect Apple’s revenue?
– The exclusion of these watch models from sale in the USA could have an impact on Apple’s annual revenue of $383 billion.
5. Will the cheaper Apple SE watch model be affected by the changes?
– No, the Apple SE model is not affected by the changes resulting from the dispute with Masimo, as this model never had the blood oxygen monitoring function.
6. What were the arguments presented by Apple and Masimo in court?
– Apple argued that the court order would cause unnecessary harm to the company, which directly employs over 90,000 workers in the USA. Masimo, on the other hand, claimed that the sales ban would not significantly harm Apple.
7. What are the annual revenues of Apple Watch?
– Analysts estimate that Apple Watch generates approximately $18 billion in annual revenues.
8. Are there any external links regarding Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2?
– I apologize, but I don’t have access to the internet. Please contact Apple’s customer service or search for information on the official Apple website regarding Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2.
