Apple to Halt Sales of Apple Watch Products Due to Patent Dispute

Apple has announced that it will suspend sales of certain Apple Watch products later this month as a result of a patent dispute concerning the devices' blood oxygen monitor.

In anticipation of a ruling from the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) regarding the patent dispute, Apple stated that it is taking proactive measures to comply with any potential outcome.

"This includes temporarily ceasing sales of the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 on Apple.com starting from December 21, as well as in Apple retail stores after December 24," Apple explained in an email sent to CBS MoneyWatch.

The legal disagreement revolves around the blood oxygen feature found in the Apple Watch, which enables users to measure their blood oxygen levels. According to the Cleveland Clinic, low blood oxygen levels can lead to serious health issues.

Apple's decision comes in response to the ITC's ruling that Apple had unlawfully incorporated blood oxygen technology from Masimo, a medical tech company, and consequently ordered Apple to halt the importation of the affected devices. The ITC's order is currently under review by a presidential panel, with the review period scheduled to conclude on December 25. In light of this deadline, Apple has chosen to withdraw the devices from sale later this week.

"We are committed to ensuring that customers have access to the Apple Watch and will explore all possible legal and technical solutions to comply with the order," a spokesperson for Apple said in a statement.