Apple has just announced that they’re halting the sales of their new Series 9 and Ultra 2 smartwatches because of some patent issue regarding the blood oxygen sensor in certain models. The ban kicked in on December 21 on their website and will effect retail stores starting December 24.

To make matters worse, if you’ve got an out-of-warranty Apple Watch that needs fixing in the US after December 25, 2023, you can’t do anything about it. Apple won’t be able to do the repairs because, they can’t import the blood oxygen sensor-equipped watches anymore. Instead of fixing a a faulty part, Apple usually swaps out the whole watch for a new one, and now those replacements are hard to come by due to the ban.
Apple has reportedly sent out a memo to the shops, restricting them from replacing any Apple Watches. Specifically, the watches include the Apple Watch Series 6 or later and the Apple Watch Ultra or later if they’re out of warranty. But if your watch is still covered, whether it’s the standard one-year deal or you got the extended AppleCare, replacements are still on the table.
Furthermore, they’re still selling the Apple Watch SE, even though the Series 9 and Ultra 2 are off the shelves. You can get all models at places like Best Buy, Target, and Walmart – as long as they’ve still got them in stock.