The Apple Watch ban is over … kind of

By Joe Maring Published December 27, 2023

The Apple Watch Series 9 showing apps on the screen. — Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

The sales ban on the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2, which caused Apple to stop selling the two smartwatches late last week, has already been lifted — for now.

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On December 27, the U.S. Court of Appeals temporarily lifted the sales and import ban on the two Apple Watch models. Apple stopped selling the Series 9 and Ultra 2 from its online stores on December 21 and pulled the watches from its physical retail locations on December 24.

With this latest ruling, Apple is now legally allowed to sell the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 as normal. However, that’s only true until January 10, when the temporary lift expires. It’s good news for Apple that it can continue selling its two latest Apple Watch models during the ongoing holiday season, but the legal battle is far from over.

Apple was struck with this sales ban after a judge ruled Apple had infringed on patents from the medical technology company Masimo, specifically regarding patents used for blood oxygen sensing on Apple Watches. In addition to the ban being temporarily halted, 9to5Mac reports that Apple has created a software update for the Series 9 and Ultra 2, which should resolve the patent disputes.

The International Trade Commission now needs to respond by the January 10 deadline. Whether or not the software update from Apple is enough remains to be seen, but we should know more by that date.

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Former Digital Trends Contributor

Joe Maring has been the Section Editor of Digital Trends' Mobile team since June 2022. He leads a team of 13 writers and…

Mobile

watchOS 12: everything you need to know

The Apple Watch SE 2 with the Apple Watch Series 10.

One of the great things about modern smart devices is that they’re gifts that keep on giving, thanks to their frequent software updates. Whether it’s a phone, a watch, or even a TV, chances are the device you’re using today isn’t quite the same one you bought three or four years ago.

That’s just as true with the Apple Watch. When Apple releases its watchOS 12 update later this year, many Apple Watch owners will find themselves with an even more powerful wearable than they first bought.

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Oppo smartwatch may lead to the small OnePlus Watch 3 we’re craving

A promotional image showing the Oppo Watch X2 Mini.

One of the few downsides of the excellent OnePlus Watch 3 is that it only comes in a single case size, but if an Oppo smartwatch release in China is anything to go by, the company may now be in a position to change that. The Oppo Watch X2 Mini has been given an official April 10 launch date and is available for pre-order in China, and it may be the template for a OnePlus Watch 3 Mini.

Before we talk about the smartwatch, here’s some context. Oppo and OnePlus entered into a strategic partnership in 2021, with the two brands effectively sharing research, development, software, and even camera partners. While the two release separate and suitably different products, there are many similarities. The OnePlus Watch 3 just happens to have an Oppo sibling called the Oppo Watch X2, and the pair are practically identical.

Mobile

Apple is finally fixing the alarm situation on its smartwatches

A person wearing the Apple Watch Series 3.

Apple is prepping the release of a thoughtful new feature that will bring some peace of mind to smartwatch users. The upcoming watchOS 11.4 update will give users an option to activate the alarm sound even when the Apple Watch is put on silent mode.
The change was first spotted in the update notes for watchOS 11.4 RC (Release Candidate) built, which means the stable update is right around the corner. “An option to allow Sleep Wake Up alarm to break through Silent Mode,” says the release document.
In its current shape, the Silent Mode only provides vibration-based haptic feedback for all kinds of alerts, including alarm rings. After all, the whole idea behind it is to keep audible distractions at bay.
https://x.com/aaronp613/status/1904223745662669099
There are, however, scenarios when a sound cue could come in handy. For example, if you’re charging your watch near your bed while silent mode is enabled, you would ideally want it to play the wake-up alarm.
An alarm should beep. Period.

A healthy few people aren’t comfortable with sleeping with a watch on their wrist, because it’s an uncomfortable experience to begin with. Moreover, a strong alarm vibration on the wrist isn’t always the most pleasant way to wake up each morning.
I fall into the latter category. From time to time, however, I keep my Apple Watch close to my headrest so that I can hear the alarm beep the next morning. So far, that has meant keeping the watch in general mode, but watchOS 11.4 will finally allow some much-needed flexibility.

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