Apple has decided to suspend the sales of the Series 9 and Ultra 2 models of the Apple Watch in the United States due to an ongoing patent dispute. The International Trade Commission (ITC) issued a ruling in October that limits the sale of the Apple Watch with blood oxygen level measurement feature, as part of the intellectual property dispute with the technology company Masimo.
Initially, Apple had 60 days to appeal the ITC’s decision and could continue selling the affected models during the holiday season. However, in order to comply with the ruling, Apple announced that it would halt the sale of these two models for customers in the US on Thursday, while sales in physical stores would cease on Sunday.
This decision is expected to result in a loss of approximately $300-400 million in revenue for Apple during the holiday season. Despite this setback, analysts still anticipate that Apple will generate nearly $120 billion in revenue from October to December.
Although the sales suspension has not had a significant impact on Apple’s stock, the company is determined to resume sales as soon as possible if the ITC sales ban is not overturned. In a statement, Apple confirmed its commitment to take all necessary measures to resume the sales of the Series 9 and Ultra 2 models.
It is worth noting that the Apple Watch SE, which does not have the blood oxygen level measurement feature, will still be available for purchase in the US after Christmas. Customers who have previously purchased a Smartwatch with the blood oxygen level measurement feature will not be affected by the ITC ban.
This is not the first time that Apple Watch has faced patent challenges in its development as a health management device. In a similar case last year, the ITC ruled that Apple infringed on the electrocardiogram (EKG) technology of AliveCor. However, another regulatory body had previously determined that the AliveCor technology was not patented, so the ruling did not have a direct impact on the sales of Apple Watch. The legal dispute in this matter is ongoing.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ):
The source of the article is from the blog xn--campiahoy-p6a.es