Apple is facing a setback as it has been banned from selling the Watch Series 9 and Watch Ultra 2 in the US due to patent infringement. This decision was made by the US International Trade Commission (ITC) in response to a patent dispute with health technology company Masimo. Apple has appealed against this ruling, but President Joe Biden’s administration has refused to grant a reprieve. This ban comes as a blow to Apple, which is already experiencing a slowdown in hardware sales. The dispute revolves around patents for technology that measures blood oxygen levels, which Masimo claims Apple copied. Apple is also embroiled in similar litigation with medical wearables company AliveCor.
https://arstechnica.com/apple/2023/12/no-last-minute-reprieve-us-ban-on-some-apple-watch-sales-now-in-effect/