Apple resumed the sale of its Watch Series 9 and Watch Ultra 2 devices in the US market after a temporary halt due to a patent dispute with medical device maker Masimo.
The company obtained a stay order from the US Court of Appeals, which allows it to sell the watches on its website and through its stores until January 12, 2024, the date of the next hearing.
Apple stopped selling its latest smartwatches, which feature a SpO2 sensor that measures blood oxygen levels, in the US market, after a federal judge granted a preliminary injunction to Masimo, which claimed that Apple infringed on its patents and trade secrets.
Masimo also alleged that Apple hired some of its former employees and used its proprietary technology to develop the SpO2 sensor for its watches, which compete with Masimo’s products in the health and wellness market.
Apple denied the allegations and appealed against the ban, adding that it has invested heavily in the research and development of the SpO2 sensor, which is a novel and innovative feature that distinguishes its watches from other smartwatches in the market.
The Watch Series 9 and Watch Ultra 2 are the latest models of Apple’s smartwatch line, which also offer advanced features such as electrocardiogram, sleep tracking, and fitness tracking. They also have improved performance, battery life, and design compared to the previous models.