Apple Watch ban could be fixed with software update

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Apple could fix the ban on its Watch with a software update, the company hopes.

In recent days, Apple dramatically pulled the Watch from sale as part of a patent dispute. Healthcare technology company Masimo had successfully argued that Apple had infringed its patents with recent models of the Watch, leading to an import ban from the US government.

That meant that Apple was unable to bring in new Apple Watches for sale, in turn leading the new Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra to disappear from the US version of Apple’s website and retail stores.

In recent days, however, it returned to sale once more after an appeals court temporarily paused the ban. while the ban was not overturned, Apple was granted a pause until at least 10 January, when the US International Trade Commission will decide whether that pause should last until Apple has fully appealed the ban.

Apple may be able to avoid the ban on imports, however, with a software update that gets around the disputed patents. That would presumably be issued onto both new Watches ready for sale as well as those existing Apple Watches that are already on customers’ wrists.

The dispute between Apple and Masimo relates to the pulse oximetry technology that is used to measure how much oxygen is in a person’s blood. Masimo has accused Apple of violating its patents and hiring away staff, and successfully argued that the Watch should be banned as a result.

Apple has included blood oxygen features in most of its smartwatches released since 2020, when the Series 6 model was introduced.