(Image source: Apple)
Because of an ongoing patent dispute, the Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 that's currently being sold by Apple in the US will not come with the blood oxygen feature.
The dispute is far from over and it looks like it might drag on for a little while more because Apple CEO Tim Cook recently told CNBC that the company has no intention to settle with Masimo and license its patents, and that it's focused on appeal.
Cook said:
We're focused on appeal. There's lots of reasons to buy the watch even without the blood oxygen sensor.
This confirms earlier reports that Apple were unwilling to settle. Masimo CEO Joe Kiani said back in December that the company were willing to negotiate a settlement, but Apple has no interest in coming to the table.
What this means is that Apple is likely working on some sort of a software fix to get around the disputed patents. Whether it will be successful remains to be seen.
Right now, the Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 that are sold by Apple in the US will not have the blood oxygen feature. However, if the appeal is successful, this feature could likely be restored via a software update.
Source: AppleInsider
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