Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 Once Again Available to Purchase From Apple's Online Store

Following a ruling from the U.S. Court of Appeals staying the Apple Watch import ban, Apple has returned the Apple Watch Series 9 and the Apple Watch Ultra 2 to its online stores in the U.S., and they should also be available in some Apple retail stores.

apple watch ultra purple
Apple on Tuesday filed an emergency request asking for the import ban to be paused while an appeal is under way. The appeals court implemented an interim stay while it decides whether it will grant Apple's request for a stay for the entire length of the appeal, and as a result, Apple can once again sell Apple Watch models with blood oxygen sensing technology.

The International Trade Commission (ITC) has until January 10 to file a response to Apple's request for a stay, and other parties have until January 15 to submit letters supporting or opposing the import ban. Apple should be able to continue to sell the watch at least until the appeals court makes a final ruling on the stay, which will happen at some point after January 15.

If the appeals court rules in Apple's favor, the import ban on the Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 will be paused for the entire duration of the appeals process. If the court does not rule in Apple's favor, the import ban will be reinstated. The appeals process could last for many months, so Apple may get a significant reprieve as it argues against the ITC's decision.

The ITC in October decided that Apple had infringed on blood oxygen sensing technology patented by Masimo, and put in place a U.S. import ban that went into effect on December 26. In preparation for the ban, Apple actually stopped sales online on December 21, and ended in-store sales after December 24.

The Biden administration had the opportunity to veto the import ban, but opted not to do so, making the import ban official. To get around the Apple Watch legal issues, Apple will need to win its appeal against Masimo, settle with Masimo, or remove the infringing blood oxygen sensing technology from the Apple Watch lineup.

The import ban only affected Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 models sold in Apple retail stores and the online store in the United States. Sales in other countries have not been affected, and the Apple Watch models have continued to be available in the U.S. in stores like Target, Walmart, and Best Buy.

Related Forum: Apple Watch

Popular Stories

Home Hub Command Center with Dome Base Feature

Apple Working on All-New Operating System

Thursday September 25, 2025 1:11 pm PDT by
Apple is developing an all-new operating system codenamed "Charismatic," according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Apple smart home hub concept based on rumors This is likely Apple's long-rumored "homeOS" operating system. In a report last month, Gurman said both Apple's rumored smart home hub in 2026 and tabletop robot in 2027 will run the new operating system. He said the software platform ...
Tim Cook Rainbow

Apple Event in October? Here's What to Expect

Monday September 29, 2025 9:31 am PDT by
Apple's annual iPhone event is in the rearview mirror, but rumors suggest the company plans to release a handful of additional products before the year ends. Will there be another Apple event this October? We discuss the possibility below. Apple in October Apple's most recent October events were in 2021 and 2023. In 2022 and 2024, Apple did not host an October event. Instead, it...
iOS 26

Apple Continues to Prepare iOS 26.0.1 With Multiple Bug Fixes Expected

Sunday September 28, 2025 1:30 pm PDT by
Apple is preparing to release iOS 26.0.1, according to a private account on X with a proven track record of sharing information about future iOS versions. The account initially said iOS 26.0.1 would have a build number of 23A350, but they now expect the update to have a build number of 23A355. This suggests that the software update will include more bug fixes or changes than initially...
Apple MacBook Pro M4 hero

New MacBook Pro Nears Mass Production, But Four Bigger Upgrades Expected Next Year

Sunday September 28, 2025 2:08 pm PDT by
Apple's next MacBook Pro models will enter mass production soon, according to the latest information shared by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In his Power On newsletter today, Gurman said he continues to believe the new MacBook Pro models will be released at some point between late 2025 and the first quarter of 2026, meaning they should be available to order by March at the latest. Apple often...
iOS 26

Apple Releases iOS 26.0.1 With Fixes for Wi-Fi, Cellular, and Camera Issues on iPhone 17 Models

Monday September 29, 2025 10:12 am PDT by
Apple today released iOS 26.0.1 and iPadOS 26.0.1, the first updates to the iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 operating systems that came out earlier this week. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. According to Apple's release notes for the update, iOS 26.0.1 addresses a bug that could cause aberrations in...
iOS 26 Battery Glass Feature

iPhone 16 Pro Max 80% Charge Limit: One Year Later, Was It Worth It?

Wednesday September 24, 2025 3:58 pm PDT by
With the iPhone 15 series, I did an experiment and kept my iPhone's Charge Limit set at 80 percent for an entire year. It provided an interesting look at the impact of charge limits on battery longevity, so I decided to repeat it for the iPhone 16 line. Since September 2024, my iPhone 16 Pro Max has been limited to an 80 percent charge, with no cheating. As of today, my battery's maximum...
iphone 17 ceramic shield

Regular iPhone 17's USB-C Charging Speeds Tested With Apple Chargers

Friday September 26, 2025 9:01 am PDT by
The website ChargerLAB has tested the standard iPhone 17 model's USB-C charging speeds with a variety of Apple's chargers, from 18W to 140W. The device reached a peak charging speed of around 27W to 28W with these Apple chargers:29W USB-C Power Adapter 30W USB-C Power Adapter 35W Dual USB-C Port Power Adapter 35W Dual USB-C Port Compact Power Adapter 40W Dynamic Power Adapter with 60W Max...
LG UltraFine 6K Display TB5

LG UltraFine 6K (32U990A) TB5 Display: Pre-Orders Open September 30

Monday September 29, 2025 6:21 am PDT by
Pre-orders for LG's new UltraFine evo 6K display (model 32U990A) with Thunderbolt 5 support will begin on September 30, according to a major U.S. retailer listing. LG first revealed the 32-inch display at CES 2025 in January, teasing its status as the first monitor to support Thunderbolt 5. At the time, LG only provided high-level specs, but left pricing, availability, and full technical...
AirPods Pro 3 Newsroom

Apple's 'Back to School' Offer Ends Soon, Now Applies to AirPods Pro 3

Wednesday September 24, 2025 7:20 am PDT by
Apple's annual "Back to School" promotion for students ends soon, so act fast if you want to score free AirPods with the purchase of an eligible new Mac or iPad. Until Tuesday, September 30, college students and qualifying educational staff in the U.S. can receive free AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation when they purchase an eligible new Mac or iPad from Apple. This is a $179 value. ...

Top Rated Comments

JCCL Avatar
23 months ago
Hopefully this leads to Apple paying Masimo their proper licensing fees if indeed they infringed on their patents. No one should be allowed to just poach another's company employee to reproduce their IP. Can't believe people siding with Apple on this one. Do folks really think it's ok to steal a much smaller company's IP because it is their favorite company?
Score: 31 Votes (Like | Disagree)
PsykX Avatar
23 months ago
Just pay Masimo an appropriate amount and give credit where it's due.

These smaller companies always get screwed by the GAFA.
Score: 24 Votes (Like | Disagree)
sw1tcher Avatar
23 months ago

Do folks really think it's ok to steal a much smaller company's IP because it is their favorite company?
Sadly though not surprisingly, yes, many people here do feel that way.

Cult/herd mentality.

And if the situation was reversed and Masimo were the ones who took and used Apple's IP without paying for it, they'd attack Masimo.
Score: 24 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ProfessionalFan Avatar
23 months ago
And when I said it'd be back on sale by end of week yesterday, I was basically called dumb.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
iOS Geek Avatar
23 months ago

Sadly though not surprisingly, yes, many people here do feel that way.

Cult/herd mentality.

And if the situation was reversed and Masimo were the ones who took and used Apple's IP without paying for it, they'd attack Masimo.
Someone, somewhere would be cheering either way. Great example: Beeper. Using Apple's IP without paying for it (and are actually charging for it themselves) and people are angry at Apple for fighting back and hoping regulators step in and take Beepers side just to "stick it" to the bigger guy. It’s almost like no company, big or small, is completely clean. "Shady" seems to be the name of the game no matter how big or small.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jz0309 Avatar
23 months ago
this will be interesting to see how it unfolds in the long run
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)