Apple has announced that its newest smartwatch models, the Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2, will be back on sale in its US retail stores on Wednesday. This comes after the company won a court ruling in a patent fight with Masimo, a medical device maker. The court decision provides a quick relief for Apple’s $17 billion business.
In addition to in-store sales, the Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 will also be available for online purchase starting Thursday at noon Pacific time. The US International Trade Commission (ITC) had previously banned the import and sale of these products through Apple’s official channels after ruling in favor of Masimo in a patent infringement case. However, an appellate court in Washington temporarily stayed the ITC’s decision while Apple seeks to overturn it.
Apple had to halt sales of its watches after the ITC found that the company had infringed on Masimo’s patents related to measuring blood-oxygen saturation. The watches were removed from the website on December 21 and from retail stores on Christmas Eve.
The sales ban was officially announced by the ITC in October, but the White House had a 60-day window to review and potentially veto it. US Trade Representative Katherine Tai stated on Tuesday that she wouldn’t intervene, and the White House refused to veto the measure.
To address the issue, Apple has developed a software update for the Apple Watch, which it believes will mitigate the problem. The company has submitted the design of the update to the US customs agency, with a decision expected by January 12.
The watches will gradually return to shelves at approximately 270 Apple retail locations across the country, with wider availability expected by Saturday.
While Masimo seeks to intervene in the appeals case, the ITC argued against the interim stay, stating that Apple didn’t face “irreparable harm” during the appeal. The ITC orders only affect Apple Watch products with a specific blood-oxygen measurement feature.
Despite the temporary lift on the sales ban, the court has given the ITC until January 10 to respond to Apple’s request for a longer stay during the company’s full appeal. Meanwhile, Masimo’s shares fell 4.6 percent to $115.11 at the close in New York after the court temporarily ended the ban on watch sales. Apple’s stock remained relatively unchanged. Owners of the Apple Watch Series 6, 7, and 8 also faced challenges, as watches with the blood-oxygen feature were not eligible for hardware repairs during the ban.