Apple is set to halt sales of its smartwatch in the coming days as the company prepares to comply with a U.S. import ban stemming from a federal trade ruling over a blood-oxygen sensor on some versions of the device.
The October ruling gave the Biden administration 60 days to review the decision, in which the U.S. International Trade Commission found that Apple violated patents in most new models of the Apple Watch since 2020. Apple said it is stopping watch sales to take pre-emptive steps in case the ruling stands.
The ban would include the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2, the company said.
“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,” the company said.
The case revolves around medical-technology company Masimo, which alleged in a 2021 complaint that Apple violated its patents related to measuring blood-oxygen levels. Apple has included a sensor, called a pulse oximeter, in most new models of the Apple Watch since 2020.