The suspension of online sales came early to allow devices ordered by customers to be imported into the US before the ban was implemented. Physical Apple stores will stop selling Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 24 DecemberSales outside the United States and warranty and post-warranty replacement services will not be affected.

Among the current model lineup, only the Apple Watch SE without a built-in pulse oximeter is available for purchase in the US.

Third-party retailers in the country will be able to continue selling the banned devices until their existing stocks run out, provided they import the necessary devices before the ban comes into force.

What happened

Medical startup Masimo has filed a complaint against tech giant Apple, claiming that the pulse oximeter feature on the Apple Watch infringes on multiple patents held by the company.

The case took on a significant turn after it was referred to the International Trade Commission (ITC) in 2021. In October 2023, the ITC recommended banning the watch, prompting Apple to file an appeal.

Masimo alleges that Apple illegally used the expertise of former startup employees it hired, leading to the misappropriation of valuable trade secrets they held.

Users lost their warranty

The ban on the sale of Apple Watch in the US affected warranty and post-warranty replacement options for devices released since 2020, including the Watch Series 6.

Apple’s traditional warranty policy stipulated that a defective watch would be replaced with a working watch of the same model without being repaired. Due to the ban on the import of Apple devices capable of measuring blood oxygen content, customers can no longer replace a defective watch with this function with a working one under warranty. This limitation also applies to post-warranty replacements, for which buyers must pay additional fees.

What is Apple doing?

Apple is working on a software update to get around the ban, but representatives from Masimo, the medical company that filed the patent complaint, say hardware changes are necessary.

Customers are reminded that watches purchased after this date cannot be exchanged, but this restriction does not apply to included accessories. While returns are accepted for a refund, the option to exchange for another model is no longer offered as before.