Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 Available in Apple Stores Starting Today, Online Sales to Resume Tomorrow

[MacRumors]

Apple Watch Series 9 and the Apple Watch Ultra 2 are back in some of Apple's retail stores in the United States today, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Select stores will have availability today, while all stores will have the Apple Watch models back in stock by December 30. Online sales of the devices are set to resume tomorrow by 12:00 p.m. Pacific Time.

Apple is able to begin selling the Apple Watch models again after the U.S. Court of Appeals temporarily paused the import ban levied by the U.S. International Trade Commission. It's likely that Apple will be able to sell the Apple Watch models through most of January, and perhaps longer depending on what the court decides.

The import ban has been halted while the appeals court determines whether a longer pause should be implemented while the full ITC vs. Apple appeal plays out. If that happens, the import ban will be stayed for several months, but if the appeals court decides not to stay the ban during the appeals process, Apple will need to stop sales again.

The U.S. ITC has until January 10 to argue its case for the import ban to restart immediately, and the appeals court is accepting letters supporting or opposing the import ban through January 15. After that, the court will make a final ruling on the stay.

Apple paused Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 sales online on December 21 and in stores after December 24 to comply with an ITC ruling. The ITC banned imports of Apple Watch components related to blood oxygen monitoring technology after it decided the Apple Watch infringes on patents owned by medical device company Masimo.

The temporary stay on the ban not only allows Apple to resume sales for now, but it also gives Apple time to provide adequate stock to third-party retailers in case the ban is reinstated. Apple retail stores in the United States will have to stop selling the Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 if that happens, but the ban does not extend to retailers like Best Buy, Walmart, and Target.

Article Link: Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 Available in Apple Stores Starting Today, Online Sales to Resume Tomorrow

 

[tomtad]

Until 10 January

 

[Apple_Robert]

I hope Apple has good watch sales during the short reprieve.

 

[zahuh]

Watch out!

 

[DocMultimedia]

Buy now!!!!

 

[Kierkegaarden]

My guess is that Apple is very confident in what they will be presenting during the appeals process.

 

[a m u n]

I love Masimo and I love Apple. I wish the two companies would work together, because they are both leaders in this technology. If they did, consumers would only be rewarded.

 

[return2sendai]

You lucky Americanos!

 

[subjonas]

This is all a ploy to ignite slumping Watch sales.
#everythingisaconspiracy

 

[Apple Fan 2008]

Well, this is a temporary solution I guess.

 

[rwilliams]

I guess this means that I can take my Series 6 watch in for a battery replacement.

 

[SusieS]

Night gathers, and now my watch begins
to be sold again

 

[desslr]

tech patents should be banned if they are not in active use

 

[Lancer]

Not in the US so hasn't affected me but I's so tempted to get the Series 9 to replace my 3yo SE.

 

[O.N.Y.X]

I guess this means that I can take my Series 6 watch in for a battery replacement.

Series 6 has nothing to do with this. Only Series 9 and Ultra 2 are affected.

 

[hoodafoo]

Why didn't the appeals court take into account of the feelings of those who hoovered up all the S9 and Ultra 2 to resell for a quick buck?

 

[onenorth]

Although Masimo is not a party to this appeal (it is between Apple and the ITC), Masimo will have a chance to weigh in. Ultimately, Masimo will need to rely on the ITC to defend the exclusion order. Apple has already pointed out several issues, including some legal questions that the ITC did not answer before issuing the exclusion order.

Based on that, I think it is likely the Federal Circuit will extend the stay unless the court is satisfied that Apple has a workaround design that will allow it to continues sales of the modified watches while the ban remains in effect. Should be interesting to watch this play out next month.

 

[aParkerMusic]

Series 6 has nothing to do with this. Only Series 9 and Ultra 2 are affected.

I heard hardware service through Apple would have been affected for any model with the blood oxygen hardware. So. It’s a good time to get service with the ban temporarily lifted.

 

[falkon-engine]

This is like an on again off again relationship. I will admit, I picked up an ultra2 just before the ban went into effect and got a good deal on Amazon, approx $100 off. And the battery life is sooooo much better than my series 7.

 

[jz0309]

Until 10 January

sounds more like Jan 16, or when the appeals court makes its final ruling

 

[rwilliams]

I guess this means that I can take my Series 6 watch in for a battery replacement.

Not yet, it seems. The website still says that this is unavailable for this model of the watch.

 

[avkills]

tech patents should be banned if they are not in active use

Except that Masimo is using their patents for active devices.

This type of device is extremely difficult since there probably are not a whole lot of ways to do it. So Apple poaches know how from Masimo; are those new Apple employees suddenly supposed to not use their knowledge?

I've been through something similar in my career; this type of **** happens all the time in the engineering fields.

They should find a way to work together.

 

[julesme]

Until 10 January

I’d expect Apple to be granted a stay until the appeal is resolved through the courts. The appeals process could easily drag on for another year, by which time Apple will likely have made progress on an alternative solution (licensing, software workaround, etc).

 

[rwilliams]

Series 6 has nothing to do with this. Only Series 9 and Ultra 2 are affected.

But any model with a blood oxygen sensor is unavailable for repair until this is cleared up. I just checked and I still can't make an appointment for a battery replacement on the Series 6. Maybe tomorrow that will be available again while the ban has been temporarily halted.

 

[Born Again]

Wow - Another volley. What's going on with tech these days? Sam Altman and Open AI was another fiasco..