Apple to Stop Selling Two Apple Watch Models in the US Due to Import Ban
At 9to5Mac, Chance Miller writes:
In a statement to 9to5Mac, Apple has announced that it will soon halt sales of its flagship Apple Watch models in the United States.
The Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 will no longer be available to purchase from Apple starting later this week.
Apple’s move is in response to an International Trade Commission import ban triggered by a patent dispute about the blood oxygen sensor in the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2.
If you want to buy either of those models from Apple this holiday season, order online before 3 PM on 21 December 2023 or pick one up at an Apple Store before 25 December 2023. Resellers like Amazon aren’t prevented from selling the affected models but may run out of inventory quickly because the ban prohibits Apple from selling to them.
The second-generation Apple Watch SE remains available since it lacks a blood oxygen sensor. It’s an excellent and economical choice, though it also lacks the Always-On display, ECG app, temperature sensor used for cycle tracking, and double tap gesture available in the new models.
I had been thinking of upgrading my old Series 2 to a Watch SE 2nd generation or Series 9. I had been leaning towards Series 9 - but not particularly for the health features.
I guess here in Japan it will continue to be on sale. I’m just undecided. I sense it’s not unlikely that Apple did grab the other company’s invention. Don’t you sense that’s an ongoing thing with Apple?
If I get the Watch I can return it until January 20th because it’s the holiday season.
I’m curious if others are backing away from the Series 9 because of this.
Not at all. These kinds of patent issues are commonplace, happening seemingly every five minutes to large companies the size of Apple. If they do infringe a patent owner, they typically either come to some kind of financial agreement quickly, or instead bang it out in court like this (spending millions on lawyers fees), then come to the same kind of agreements.
Then you have the patent trolls of course, which are another bullet for companies to continually dodge. These things are a fact of life especially for large businesses. And this will likely blow-over eventually over time, as per other patent issues have and will.
As for Watch options… I have the U2 which is nice, but the S9 would be good too, as they have those extras outside of health stuff that are more likely to have you keep the watch for longer, thus making more long term value out of your purchase. Heck, you could even buy both the SE and S9, try them, and return the one you didn’t prefer.
Well, maybe I’ll try it. My main goal is to see if the battery last longer during the day than my old Series 2 (which Apple insists is still in normal battery health after a remote check, and is still under month-to-month warranty).
If it is then great. If it isn’t, I would just return it and stick with my Series 2.
Thanks.
Looks like it’s impacting out-of-warranty repairs too.
I decided to replace my “6” and snagged a “9” on Tuesday at an Apple Store. They became unavailable the very next day. As of this morning, Adorama was still selling 9s but B&H was out of them. The only ones I saw on Amazon were marked as “renewed.”
And now there’s a brief pause on the ban.
Now Apple have re-started selling them, but with the blood oxygen monitor turned OFF:
…come back in X period of time when they’ll have worked this all out (or not ;-).