If you thought that on December 26 you’d get up early, stack all the money grandma has given you (and add some more) and head towards the nearest Apple Store for a Watch Ultra 2 or a device from the Watch Series 9… think again.
In the week before Christmas, the Cupertino giant stopped selling the Apple Watch Series 9 and the Apple Watch Ultra 2 – they removed them from the online Apple stores. When the physical Apple Stores open back on December 26, these timepieces won’t be found there as well (via 9to5Mac).
As reported by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple Stores have been sent new marketing materials with the intention of promoting the Apple Watch SE, which remains available to buy – it lacks the blood oxygen sensor that started this whole mess.
As you already know, the blood oxygen sensor in the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 infringes on two Masimo patents and there’s a long-running dispute between Apple and the medical device company (that’s Masimo).
In a statement to 9to5Mac, Apple said that it will “continue to take all measures to return Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 to customers in the U.S. as soon as possible.”
Apple also said to 9to5Mac that it will file an appeal of the ITC’s final decision with the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit on December 26.
If one wants to get the aforementioned “banned” devices, the option is to go to other outlets, including Amazon and Best Buy. Once the existing supply from those retailers is sold, however, they won’t be able to re-stock.
