Earlier today, the Biden administration formally announced its decision not to overturn the Apple Watch Ultra 2 and Apple Watch Series 9 sales ban in the United States.
In a statement to 9to5Mac, an Apple spokesperson said that it strongly disagrees with the ITC’s decision and will be “taking all measures to return Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 to customers in the U.S. as soon as possible.” The company also formally appealed the ruling.
Apple Watch ban officially goes into effect
Here’s a full statement to 9to5Mac:
“At Apple, we work tirelessly to create products and services that meaningfully impact users’ lives. It’s what drives our teams — Clinical, Design and Engineering — to dedicate years to developing scientifically validated health, fitness and wellness features for Apple Watch, and we are inspired that millions of people around the world have benefited greatly from this product. We strongly disagree with the USITC decision and resulting exclusion order, and are taking all measures to return Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 to customers in the U.S. as soon as possible.”
Apple reiterated that this order from the ITC means the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 are no longer available for purchase from Apple in the United States. The Apple Watch SE, however, remains available for sale.
The company also says that the ITC’s decision has no impact on service and repairs for customers who purchased the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 prior to December 25.
As part of its efforts to return its flagship Apple Watch models to store shelves, Apple told 9to5Mac that it is pursuing a wide range of legal and technical options.
Bloomberg previously reported that Apple engineers are racing to develop a software fix that would circumvent the two Masimo patents that are the basis of the ITC’s decision. Masimo, however, has said that a software fix would not be adequate and that the Apple Watch hardware must change.
For the time being, you can still buy an Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 from third-party retailers like Best Buy and Amazon
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