Apple has ceased the sale of the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 smartwatches on its U.S. website.
Upon visiting Apple’s website, it was observed that both the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 were labeled as “currently unavailable” on Thursday. Currently, the webpage showcases a promotional image for the Apple Watch SE, a more affordable model introduced in 2022, which remains unaffected by the ongoing patent dispute.
Earlier in the week, Apple announced its decision to halt the sale of its latest Watch models on its website as of Thursday, followed by the removal of these models from Apple stores starting this Sunday. However, the Apple Watch SE remains available for purchase directly from Apple, and retailers will continue to sell the latest models whilst supplies last.
Notably, Apple’s product pages state that, effective December 24, 2023, Apple no longer offers Apple Watch units in the United States that include blood oxygen measurement capabilities.
This pause in sales is a response to the International Trade Commission’s orders from October, which concluded that the blood oxygen sensor featured in the Apple Watch had violated intellectual property rights belonging to Masimo, a medical technology company catering to hospitals. Consequently, Apple will be prohibited from importing these devices, as they are manufactured in China.
Source (CNBC)