Apple Watch Series 9, Ultra 2 no longer available in US online store before Christmas, President Biden intervention possible

Apple has removed the best Apple Watch models from its online store in anticipation of a ban on imports.

Apple has recently made the decision to remove the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 from its online store in the United States. This move comes in anticipation of an import ban set to take effect on December 25th.

The reason behind this decision is a ruling by the International Trade Commission, which found that the blood oxygen monitor in the latest Apple Watch models violated a patent held by a medical company called Masimo. As a result, Apple has stopped selling these models via its online platform, and they are now listed as "Currently Unavailable" on the online store.

While the Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 are still available in brick-and-mortar Apple Stores across the country, they will also be removed from sale on Christmas Eve. After December 24th, these models will still be available from other retailers like Best Buy, but Apple will only offer the Apple Watch SE, a model that does not include the blood oxygen sensor.

There is still a possibility that the import ban on the blood oxygen models of the Apple Watch could be overturned. The Biden administration has until Christmas day to intervene and veto the ban, which would allow Apple to continue selling the affected models.

If the import ban remains in place, Apple will have to either remove the blood oxygen sensor from the affected models or develop a workaround to keep them on sale. Reports suggest that Apple is already working on a solution to this issue.

The White House has indicated that it is carefully considering all factors in this case, so there may still be developments in the coming days. For now, if you are looking to purchase an Apple Watch Series 9 or Apple Watch Ultra 2 as a holiday gift, you may need to explore options beyond Apple's online store.

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