Apple is planning to remove the blood-oxygen feature from its latest smartwatches, the Series 9 and Ultra 2, in response to a US ban threat following a dispute with Masimo Corp. over patent violations.
Bloomberg reports that Masimo disclosed the plan on Monday (15 January), stating that US Customs and Border Protection approved the redesign on 12 January. The move aims to circumvent the import ban imposed by the US International Trade Commission in October.
Apple had temporarily halted sales but resumed after an interim stay. The company presented a software workaround to the customs agency, asserting the redesigned watches no longer contain the disputed pulse oximetry technology. The removal of the feature, if implemented, may impact customer demand.
Apple anticipates a ruling from the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit on its motion for a stay, expecting the process to last a year or more.
Meanwhile, modified watches without the blood-oxygen feature are already being shipped to US retail locations in preparation for the potential appeal failure.
A federal appeals court is also set to hear Apple’s motion for a continued stay on the ban. The ITC has urged the court to reject arguments opposing the enforcement of the ban.
