After an ongoing patent dispute with medical device manufacturer Masimo that prevented Apple from selling the Apple Watch Series 9 and the Apple Watch Ultra 2 — which both launched in September — the tech company announced they are allowed to start selling the smartwatches again after federal appeals court temporarily reversed the ban, according to CNN.
As a result, Apple will start selling the Series 9 and Ultra 2 again beginning at 3 p.m. ET/12 p.m. PT on Thursday, Dec. 28. This is after the Cupertino, CA-based company removed the smartwatches from its website on Dec. 21 and from its retail stores nationwide on Dec. 24.
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It’s worth noting that nothing is actually wrong or defective about the Apple Watches, so this is not the same as a product recall. In fact, in our review, we found the Apple Watch Series 9 to be a huge upgrade from previous models, with improved specs, usability and features.
The patent dispute is still on-going, which means the Apple Watch 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 may be no longer around. If you want to get your hands (or should we say wrists) on these smartwatches before Apple stops selling them again, scroll down to see where you can still find the smartwatches in stock.
Apple Apple Watch Series 9 $389.99 Buy Now On Amazon $399 Buy Now at Apple $399 Buy Now at Walmart
The Apple Watch Series 9 has a new “double tap” gesture for additional smartwatch controls, a faster S9 processor (an upgrade from the previous model’s S8 chipset), on-device Siri voice assistant, precision “Find My” device technology, a brighter display — which could use a good screen protector — and more.
Apple Apple Watch Ultra 2 $779.99 Buy Now On Amazon $799 Buy Now At Apple $819 Buy Now at Walmart
For the outdoorsy types, the Apple Watch Ultra 2 — which is made with a titanium case — is the tech company’s rugged model. It’s made for serious athletes and adventurers with a long battery life of up to 36 hours and tough durability for outdoor activity tracking, like deep sea diving, trail running, mountain climbing and more.
So what caused this Apple Watch dispute? The U.S. International Trade Commission ruled that the tech company was in violation of Masimo’s pulse oximeter patent, which is one of the Apple Watch’s most popular features for reading blood oxygen levels. Meanwhile, President Joe Biden had an option to review the violation for a possible reversal, but the White House decided not to get involved in the dispute.
However, the ruling doesn’t impact the wallet-friendly Apple Watch SE (second-generation) — which is goes for $249 at Walmart, among other Apple Watch deals. It’s still available at other retailers, like Amazon and Target, while both the Apple Watch Series 8 and the original Apple Watch Ultra are also on sale across the web.
For the time being, it’s unclear if the tech company will have to stop selling Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 again, and Apple has not yet announced its next iteration of the watch — which is expected in Sept. 2024. In other words: If you were looking to snag these models, we recommend acting fast and shop now.
