Apple Starts Selling Series 9 And Ultra 2 Watches In US But Without This Health Feature – News18

Apple is now promoting its Series 9 and Ultra 2 smartwatches with out the power to measure blood oxygen ranges within the United States as a part of an effort to proceed promoting its newest smartwatches amid its patent dispute with Masimo.

“The ability to measure blood oxygen is no longer available on Apple Watch units sold by Apple in the United States beginning January 18, 2024. These are indicated with part numbers ending in LW/A” Apple now says on the US procuring web page for its Series 9 and Ultra 2 watches. Customers who buy these smartwatches will reportedly nonetheless see the Blood Oxygen characteristic icon when utilizing them, however after they open it, the watches will inform them that “the Blood Oxygen app is no longer available. Learn more in the Health app on your iPhone,” as advised to Bloomberg news.

What Happens to the Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 Units That Have Already Been Sold within the United States?

If you obtain an Apple Watch earlier than the present inventory, you’ll nonetheless be capable to use the blood oxygen measurement characteristic. Additionally, items in worldwide markets will nonetheless have this characteristic, for the reason that patent dispute doesn’t apply there. This means, present prospects who have been nervous about dropping this characteristic in a future software program replace can breathe simple.

The Patent Dispute Still Lingers

This sudden change is the results of a federal courtroom choice holding that Apple might not keep the ban on its smartwatches as long as it’s in lively dispute with Masimo over the blood oxygen sensing expertise.

In case you didn’t know, Apple was discovered to be infringing on a patent owned by medical gear maker Masimo. The patent is said to measuring blood oxygen. Additionally, Masimo accused Apple of poaching its staff to work on related tech for the Apple Watch.

This led the International Trade Commission (ITC) to concern an import ban on Apple, prohibiting the corporate from bringing in any Apple Watch with blood oxygen sensing. And that is precisely why the less expensive Apple Watch SE 2 was exempted from the ban, and continues to promote as is.