Ángel Jiménez from Luis USA
USA
Updated Friday, January 19, 2024-01:06
Starting today,
Apple Watches
sold in
the United States
will not have a function present in those sold in the rest of the world.
They will not be able to measure blood oxygenation, a feature that Apple first introduced in this product range three years ago.
This is a new episode in the legal drama that pits the apple company against the medical device manufacturer Massimo, and that already forced the sales of the
Apple Watch Series 9
and
Apple Watch Ultra
to stop for one day last month. December.
Massimo
claims that Apple has violated some of the company's patents due to the way in which it has implemented the function in its watch and the
International Market Commission has agreed with him.
Behind this fight there are obviously economic interests, but also a certain desire for revenge.
Years ago, Apple convinced several Massimo engineers and senior executives to leave the company and join the division in charge of designing the Apple Watch, a move that
Joe Kiani,
CEO of Massimo, has not forgotten.
Pending the outcome of a formal appeal, the only option left for Apple at the moment is to either stop the sale of the Apple Watch in the United States again or eliminate the feature completely.
Apple has decided to do the latter.
All Apple Watches sold from today in the country will not have the pulse oximeter activated.
Kiani, speaking to Bloomberg TV, said this week in a provocative tone that Apple Watch buyers "win because the way the function is implemented means it is not an accurate measurement."
Apple has responded by stating that Kiani's claims are false and that the watch's blood oxygen function is accurate and, in some cases, can help save lives.
It is not clear
whether, if it wins the appeal or negotiates the license of the disputed patents, Apple will be able to reactivate the sensors through a software update.
The measure, in any case, does not affect the watches already sold, which will continue to have the active pulse oximeter.