Apple To Stop Selling Some Apple Watches In The U.S.

Apple is halting the sales of certain Apple Watches amid an intellectual property dispute with medical technology company Masimo.

Apple said that it will stop selling the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 online after 3 p.m. ET on Thursday (December 21). In-store sales of the watches will be discontinued after December 24.

The decision was made after an October order in which the International Trade Commission upheld a judge's ruling that found Apple infringed on Masimo's patents relating to how the watches measure blood oxygen levels. The ITC ordered Apple to stop selling watches that used components patented by Masimo.

The Biden administration has until December 25 to veto the decision, and Apple can still file an appeal.

However, Apple said it decided to preemptively halt the sales of watches while the rest of the legal process plays out.

"While the review period will not end until December 25, Apple is preemptively taking steps to comply should the ruling stand," Apple said in a statement.

"Apple strongly disagrees with the order and is pursuing a range of legal and technical options to ensure that Apple Watch is available to customers."