Apple has successfully lifted the ban on selling Apple Watches that began on Tuesday, leading to a resumption of Apple’s smartwatch sales. You can now purchase them in Apple Stores and on the official Apple Website from 3 PM ET / 12 PM PT today onwards, December 28th. This pause happened because a court agreed with Apple’s request to wait until US Customs determines if changes to the Apple Watch can resolve the patent issue causing the ban.
The Customs decision is expected by January 12th. The court’s decision also allows Apple to temporarily resume selling the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2, which were removed from the website last week and taken off store shelves when the ban started.
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The Court Decision on Apple’s Smartwatch Sales and Ban Issue
Document Source: Contributed by The Verge (Vox.com)
The court has put a temporary hold on the order affecting Apple Watches, giving US Customs a chance to check out the changes Apple made to the watches. Apple intends to finish the redesign by January 12. Apple warned on Tuesday that they could face serious problems if the ban stays in place while the appeal is still going on.
Apple is happy that the U.S. Court of Appeals has temporarily stopped the exclusion order, allowing them to sell the Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 again. The smartwatches will be back in some U.S. stores from Wednesday, and more stores will have them in the next few days.
This legal situation started when the U.S. International Trade Commission said in October that Apple broke a patent owned by medical device maker Masimo, which is about a technology that reads blood-oxygen levels using light.
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FAQ’s
Why were Apple Watches banned, and is the ban lifted now?
Apple Watches were banned due to a patent issue, but the ban has been lifted, allowing the resumption of Apple’s smartwatch sales.
When can I purchase Apple Watches again?
You can buy them in Apple Stores and on the official Apple Website starting from 3 PM ET / 12 PM PT today, December 28th.
Why was there a pause in sales, and what caused it to happen?
The pause occurred because a court agreed with Apple’s request to await US Customs’ decision on whether changes to the Apple Watch can resolve the patent issue behind the ban.
