As promised, Apple has officially removed the Watch Series 9 from its online store. News of the surprise move arrived earlier this week, when the company confirmed that an ongoing patent dispute had forced it to halt sales of the iconic smartwatch. Click on web page and you’ll find the words “Currently Unavailable” in place of a Buy button.
The Apple Watch Ultra 2 is also unavailable. However, you can buy the original Apple Watch SE, likely due to the product’s relatively limited health metrics. You can also pick up the Series 9 through other online sources. Amazon, for example, still promises pre-Christmas delivery in some areas.
The wearable will still be available in brick-and-mortar Apple Stores until Christmas Eve. If you’ve already ordered the watch online for in-store pickup, you can still do so until December 24, the company confirmed with TechCrunch.
Apple’s patent battle with health tech company Masimo has been well-documented over the past couple of years. Although Apple missed a few key decisions, however, Monday’s announcement came as a surprise to many given its unprecedented nature.
In a statement provided to TechCrunch earlier this week, the company noted that it will continue to fight the rulings:
A Presidential Review Period is underway regarding an order from the US International Trade Commission regarding a technical intellectual property dispute regarding Apple Watch devices containing the Blood Oxygen feature. While the review period won’t end until December 25, Apple is proactively taking steps to comply should the ruling prevail. This includes discontinuing sales of the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 from Apple.com starting December 21st and from Apple retail locations after December 24th.
Apple teams work tirelessly to create products and services that empower users with leading health, wellness and security features. Apple strongly disagrees with the order and is pursuing a range of legal and technical options to ensure the Apple Watch is available to customers.
If the order is upheld, Apple will continue to take all steps to return Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 to customers in the US as soon as possible.
At the heart of the battle is an optical image sensor used to monitor the user’s heart rate. Apple has used similar technology dating back to 2020 with the arrival of the Series 6. Among other things, Masimo accused the hardware giant of poaching key talent. It claims that Apple “began hiring Masimo employees, starting with Masimo’s Chief Medical Officer.”
There’s never a good time to stop selling one of your biggest products, but the holiday season is especially problematic. While Apple has been able to keep sales open, some people may find themselves unraveling the rain control this year.
