After falling short in their attempt to block a sales ban, Apple announced they’ll be selling the Series 9 and Ultra 2 Apple Watches without blood oxygen monitoring capabilities starting January 18th.
These modified watches will be available online at apple.com beginning at 9:00 AM Eastern Time, and in physical Apple stores as well. Existing Apple Watches with blood oxygen features remain unaffected by this change, according to Apple.
Earlier this week, a court filing revealed that US Customs approved Apple Watch versions lacking the blood oxygen function. Sources at Bloomberg suggest Apple developed a software solution to bypass the legal hurdle.
Here’s the full statement from Apple spokesperson Nikki Rothberg:
“Our appeal against the US International Trade Commission’s decision is ongoing, and we firmly believe the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals will overturn it. We vehemently disagree with the ITC’s verdict and the resulting restrictions.
In the meantime, while our appeal stands, we’re taking steps to comply with the ruling and ensure continued access to Apple Watches with minimal disruption. This includes introducing versions of the Series 9 and Ultra 2 Apple Watches in the United States without the blood oxygen feature. Existing Apple Watches with this feature remain completely unaffected.
The blood oxygen-free Series 9 and Ultra 2 Apple Watches will go on sale at apple.com starting at 6:00 AM Pacific Time on January 18th, and in Apple Stores on the same date.”
