Apple's Latest Smartwatch Banned in the US: What's Next for Customers?
The newest Apple Watch is no longer available for purchase in the US after the White House declined to issue a last-minute intervention to overturn the ban. The US International Trade Commission (ITC) ruling on December 26, 2023, prevents Apple from selling the Apple Watch Series 9, Apple Watch Ultra 2, and other newer models due to patent infringement by another company. This ban affects Apple Watch Series 6 and later, as well as all models of Apple Watch Ultra.
Even though the ban hit Apple's latest watches, the company is fighting back. They've asked a higher court to overturn the ITC decision and are looking at legal and tech options to get the watches back on sale in the US. They're even thinking about changing the design of the Series 9 and Ultra 2 watches to meet the patent rules, aiming to get the okay from US Customs by January 12.
The ban doesn't affect all stores, 'cause places like Amazon and Best Buy still have some Apple Watches to sell in their shops and online. But Apple can't bring in any more of the banned models for now. Also, the cheaper Apple Watch SE is still up for grabs in the US, no problems there.
The ITC's ban raises questions about the future of the Apple Watch and the potential remedies available to Apple. They might try changing the software to fix the patent issue, but it’s not clear if that will work. Another choice could be to agree with Masimo, the company with the patents. We’ll have to wait and see how Apple deals with this and what it means for getting their newest smartwatches in the US.
