According to Bloomberg, Apple has officially stopped selling the Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 in U.S.** stores. At the same time, the company will also not be able to repair watch models that are out of warranty. Apple posted on its ** that "Apple Watch products with blood oxygen measurement are no longer sold in the United States, but Apple Watch SE models that do not have this feature are still on sale." ”
Apple previously said it would halt sales in about 270 physical retail stores in the U.S. on Dec. 24. In order to ship watches to consumers before the ban that went into effect on December 25, ** purchases in the U.S. stopped earlier than in-store sales. Apple's international** and physical store sales will continue.
Why did Apple suddenly stop selling the most popular Apple Watch?According to Bloomberg, the sales ban was issued by the U.S. International Commission (ITC), which ruled that Apple infringed two health technology patents held by Masimo, Irvine, Calif., related to blood oxygen sensing.
Why doesn't Apple, which is mired in patent lawsuits, take it seriously?Are patent disputes good or bad for technology companies?
Health features have become an increasingly important selling point for the Apple Watch, allowing the company to compete with medical device manufacturers. Masimo sells a range of health monitoring technologies.
Apple has configured blood oxygen sensing in its watch products for the first time since 2020, and Masimo said that "how the watch calculates a person's blood oxygen saturation" is its own invention. In October, an international committee ruled that Apple had infringed Masimo's patents and ordered the company to stop selling infringing devices. Banning Apple's suspension of sales will also affect some older Apple Watch models, including the Series 8. Blood oxygen first appeared on the Apple Watch Series 6.
The Series 9 and Ultra 2 models account for a large portion of Apple Watch sales. Apple's earnings report doesn't break down how much revenue the two product lines bring, but watches are a core part of its wearables, home and accessories business, while the smart wearable hardware business brings in more than $40 billion a year.
Analysts estimate that the Apple Watch alone earned Apple about $17 billion in the 2023 fiscal year, which ends in September.
In fact, a closer look will show that this is not the first time that Apple has been involved in a patent dispute. Apple, as one of the most influential technology giants in the world, has always led the technology trend with its products. However, this influence has been accompanied by a steady stream of patent disputes. From the iPhone X's facial recognition technology to the latest iOS operating system, some of Apple's innovations have attracted the "patent stick" of competitors.
In 2017, Apple faced a major patent dispute over its influential product, the iPhone X. Apple introduced facial recognition technology for the first time on the iPhone X, an innovative feature that allows consumers to quickly unlock their phones with facial recognition. However, this function has also become the core of patent disputes.
An American company called Dynamic Systems & Life claims that Apple's Face ID infringes one of their patents. The company claims that it filed a patent in 2008 for unlocking a phone using facial recognition technology, and that Apple's Face ID is similar in function and technology. The dispute lasted for several years and was finally settled in 2020. Although the specific terms of the settlement have not been disclosed, the dispute has undoubtedly brought some pressure and distress to Apple.
In addition to facial recognition technology, Apple's iOS operating system has also been mired in patent disputes many times. One of the most well-known cases is Apple's patent dispute with Samsung. In 2012, Apple sued Samsung for infringing several of its patents, including the interface design of the iOS operating system. The dispute lasted for years and was finally settled in 2018. Although the exact amount of compensation was not disclosed, the dispute had a profound impact on the relationship between the two companies.
Patent disputes have become the norm for Apple, and although Apple has become a world-renowned tech giant, it is not easy for Apple to avoid patent disputes. Not only do they require a significant investment of time and resources to deal with legal challenges, but they can also affect a company's reputation and market position.
Apple's patent disputes have always been a long history, and the patent dispute with Samsung is one of the longest and most complex legal battles in Apple's history. The dispute not only has a profound impact on the relationship between the two tech giants, but also has a significant impact on the global smartphone market landscape.
Looking back at the history of the patent dispute between Apple and Samsung, the time goes back to 2012. At the time, Apple sued Samsung for infringement of a number of patents, including those related to the design of the iOS operating system interface. Apple claims that Samsung's Galaxy series of phones and tablets have copied its influential products such as the iPhone and iPad.
The lawsuit was launched worldwide and involved courts in multiple countries and regions. Over the course of the years-long proceedings, the parties engaged in heated debates and an exchange of evidence. Apple emphasizes its innovation and emphasis on the consumer experience, while Samsung asserts that the design and functionality of its products are based on market needs and technological trends.
The legal battle has been raging for years since the patent litigation battle erupted in 2012 between Apple and Samsung, two of the world's leading technology companies. The following are the main timelines of this patent lawsuit:
April 2012: Apple first filed a lawsuit against Samsung in California court, accusing Samsung of infringing several of its patents, including those related to the interface design of the iOS operating system.
August 2012: The court preliminarily ruled that Samsung had infringed Apple's patents and ordered a ban on the sale of some Galaxy series phones in the United States.
January 2013: Samsung retaliates against Apple's patent lawsuit, filing counterclaims in South Korea, Japan, Germany, and Australia.
August 2013: A U.S. court issued a final ruling finding that Samsung had infringed two of Apple's patents and ordered Samsung to compensate Apple 1$2 billion.
April 2014: Before the Court of Justice of the European Union, Apple again charges Samsung with infringing its patents, demanding a ban on the sale of the Galaxy series of phones in Europe.
May 2015: The Court of Justice of the European Union rules that Samsung did not infringe Apple's patents and rejects Apple's ban request.
March 2016: Apple files another lawsuit accusing Samsung of infringing its new patent involving the iPhone X's facial recognition technology.
May 2017: A U.S. court ruled that Samsung had infringed two of Apple's patents and ordered Samsung to pay Apple 5$3.9 billion.
May 2018: After years of litigation and negotiations, Apple and Samsung finally reached a global settlement. The parties agreed to conclude all ongoing patent litigation and enter into a reciprocal cross-licensing agreement on future patent issues.
After a series of trials and rulings, Apple and Samsung finally reached a settlement in 2018. While the exact amount and terms of the compensation were not disclosed, the settlement marks the end of a long-running legal battle between the two companies. It is important to note that this settlement does not admit the fault of either party, but rather an agreement between the parties in order to reduce further losses and litigation costs.
However, Apple's patent dispute with Samsung doesn't end there. After the settlement, the two companies are still fighting for patent rights around the world. Apple continues to pursue an aggressive strategy to protect its intellectual property, while Samsung strives to prove the independence and originality of its technology.
It is undeniable that although the patent dispute has had a negative impact on the relationship between the two companies, Apple and Samsung, the competition and cooperation between them have also driven innovation and development in the smartphone market. As the world's two largest smartphone manufacturers, Apple and Samsung's competition involves not only the competition for market share, but also the continuous improvement of technology, design and user experience.
Wall Street analysts pointed out in the article that patent disputes in the technology industry have always been a topic of great concern. These disputes not only involve the interests and reputation of enterprises, but also are a deep test of technological innovation and market competition. For a tech giant like Apple, patent disputes are undoubtedly a huge challenge, but at the same time, they are also a catalyst for their technological innovation and development.
It is pointed out that patent disputes have prompted technology companies such as Apple to pay more attention to technological innovation and patent protection. In a highly competitive market environment, having unique technology and innovation is the core competitiveness of enterprises. By filing and protecting patents, companies can ensure that their innovations are protected by law against infringement by competitors. Therefore, in the face of patent disputes, Apple and other technology companies have to increase R&D investment and continue to promote scientific and technological innovation to ensure that they stay ahead of the competition.
It should be noted that patent disputes have promoted cooperation and cross-licensing among technology companies such as Apple. In a complex patent network, it is difficult for companies to have completely independent patent rights. Therefore, in order to reduce the risk of infringement and avoid further legal disputes, technology companies such as Apple have begun to seek cooperation and cross-licensing with other companies. This cooperation model not only helps to reduce the negative impact of patent disputes, but also promotes technical exchanges and cooperation between enterprises and jointly promotes the development of the industry.
In addition, patent disputes have also prompted technology companies such as Apple to pay more attention to the international layout of intellectual property. With the acceleration of globalization and the intensification of market competition, the patent layout of enterprises in different countries and regions has become particularly important. By filing and protecting patents on a global scale, technology companies such as Apple are better able to deal with cross-border patent disputes and protect their interests in the global market.
Although patent disputes have brought a lot of pressure to technology companies such as Apple, these disputes have also become a catalyst for technological innovation and development of enterprises. By strengthening patent protection, promoting cooperation and cross-licensing, and focusing on the international layout of intellectual property, technology companies such as Apple have been able to maintain their leading position in a highly competitive market environment and continue to promote innovation and development in the industry, which may provide a reference model for the development of technology enterprises in China.
Author |The sea