The Impending Apple Watch Ban: What You Need to Know

Apple is halting sales of its Watch Ultra 2 and Watch Series 9 due to an order from the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) related to a technical intellectual property dispute. The order is centered around the blood oxygen monitoring feature found in recent Apple Watches. While the ban only applies to Apple itself, retailers with existing inventory can continue selling the affected devices. Apple is pursuing legal and technical options to address the issue and resume sales. President Biden has the authority to veto ITC rulings, but it is uncertain if he will do so in this case. The dispute between Apple and health tech company Masimo, which developed a mobile pulse oximeter, dates back to 2013.