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Apple Watch Series 9 and Watch Ultra 2 are now available at Apple Stores in the US starting today, with availability to widen by Saturday.
Apple said Wednesday it'll immediately resume in-store sales of its latest smartwatches, the Apple Watch Series 9 and the Ultra 2, in the United States.
"We are thrilled to return the full Apple Watch lineup to customers in time for the new year," the company said in a statement. Apple said it will also return to selling those watches on its website starting Thursday at noon PT.
This announcement comes after a US appeals court temporarily lifted an import ban on those Apple Watch models as it assesses Apple's request to suspend the ban as a patent dispute winds it way through the legal system. Apple says the US appeals court will hear the company's motion for a stay as early as Jan.15.
Soon after the ban took effect Apple filed an emergency appeal motion saying the company will suffer "irreparable harm" if the ban, which was imposed by the International Trade Commission, stays in place. The Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 are the Apple's newest and most advanced smartwatches, launched only this year.
Apple pre-emptively paused sales online and in-store sales of its Watch 9 Series and Watch Ultra 2, in anticipation of the US sales and import ban taking effect. On Monday, the White House decided not to overturn a previous US International Trade Comission ruling from October, backing a judge's ruling from January that found Apple had violated Masimo's patents in its blood oxygen sensing sytem. The order was under presidential review until Dec. 25 and became final on Dec. 26.
In addition to the appeal, Apple says it's "vigorously pursuing legal and technical options" to ensure that the company can continue to provide consumers with the Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2. Those options included having submitted a proposed redesigned Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 for US Customs approval.
Lexy Savvides/CNET
Apple Watch Ultra 2 and Apple Watch Series 9 -- the two top watches in our best smartwatches for 2023 collection -- might soon be disappearing from shelves and online retailers, at least for customers in the US. Apple announced Monday that it plans to pause US sales for both models starting on Dec. 24 due to a patent infringement claim.
Right now, you can pick up the Apple Watch Ultra 2 for as little as $699, thanks to a discount with instant coupons at Amazon. The discounts vary by size and style, but you can get at least one model with the small band for under $700, while some models with the larger bands will cost you closer to $730. Both are nice discounts compared with the Apple Store price of $799.The Apple Watch Ultra 2 is the latest and greatest wearable the company offers. It has a huge 49mm display and high-precision GPS for use when you're out in the wilderness or when just want reliable data for your workouts. The extralong battery life ensures you get multiple days from a single charge, and the rugged titanium case is strong yet light, perfect for your next adventure. You also get access to all the usual features, including fitness and activity tracking, heart rate monitoring and more.
Meanwhile, the Apple Watch Series 9 is being sold for $70 off the Apple Store price -- $329 for the 41mm GPS model, $359 for the 45mm model. That model is smaller than the Ultra, lacks the Action Button and some of the extreme sports features of the Ultra, like the diving features, but is otherwise the state of the art when it comes to Apple wrist-based tech.
Note that the 2022 Apple Watch SE will not be affected by the sales pause, so there's no urgency there. The same goes for older Apple Watch models. But in the absence of a last-minute deal, the Series 9 and Ultra 2 watches may well disappear from store shelves by Christmas. That means you've got less than a week left to take advantage of this offer, and with the recent news, there's a good chance that it will be selling fast. We'd definitely recommend that you get your order in soon if you're hoping to take advantage of these savings.
CNET is covering a wide array of deals on tech products and much more this holiday season. Start with the hottest sales and discounts on the CNET Deals page, along with our top gift picks for the holidays. Check out our CNET Coupons page for current Walmart discount codes, eBay coupons, Samsung promo codes and more from hundreds of other online stores. Sign up for the CNET Deals Text to get daily deals sent straight to your phone. Add the free CNET Shopping extension to your browser for real-time price comparisons and cash-back offers.
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Apple can, for now, continue selling the Series 9 and Ultra 2 in the US. Here's the latest on the patent dispute.
The Apple Watch Series 9 in aluminum (top) and stainless steel.
Richard Peterson/CNETApple can resume selling the Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 in the US, at least for now. The company had stopped selling the wearables because of an ongoing legal battle with health tech company Masimo over the blood oxygen detection feature in those watches.
The US International Trade Commission, the federal agency that handles trade-related mandates, previously issued an order that would prohibit Apple from importing the Series 9 and Ultra 2. The decision came after a US judge ruled in January that Apple infringed on Masimo patents related to the technology used in Apple's blood oxygen sensing system. The order was under presidential review until Dec. 25 and became final on Dec. 26 after US Trade Representative Katherine Tai decided not to reverse the ITC's decision.
Apple received a temporary win Wednesday after an Appeals Court paused the ban, allowing Apple to resume selling the devices. According to Bloomberg, Apple has been working on software changes to the Apple Watch's blood oxygen detection feature, and the government is expected to decide on Jan. 12 whether those updates are sufficient.
As of press time, Apple had yet to resume selling the watches on its online store.
The Apple Watch is one of Apple's most important products and has helped make the company's wearables, home and accessories business its second-largest product category behind the iPhone. Apple has previously said the size of its wearables unit alone equals that of a Fortune 150 company. Smartwatches were also among the top products sold during the Black Friday period, according to holiday shopping data from Adobe.
Apple began pausing online sales of the affected watches on Dec. 21 and halted in-store sales on Dec. 24. The ITC order specifically applies to sales of the Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 through Apple in the US. The watches have still been on sale through Best Buy, Amazon, Walmart and Target at the time of writing. The Apple Watch SE is not affected.
Apple issued the following statement in response to the initial ITC decision.
"At Apple, we work tirelessly to create products and services that meaningfully impact users' lives. It's what drives our teams — Clinical, Design and Engineering — to dedicate years to developing scientifically validated health, fitness and wellness features for Apple Watch, and we are inspired that millions of people around the world have benefited greatly from this product. We strongly disagree with the USITC decision and resulting exclusion order, and are taking all measures to return Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 to customers in the U.S. as soon as possible."
Masimo CEO Joe Kiani had said the January decision "should help restore fairness in the market."
Apple has filed an appeal with the Federal Circuit and submitted a proposed redesign of the affected watches for US Customs approval.
The ITC order affected US sales of the Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 through Apple, but 9to5Mac points out that the order prohibits Apple from importing these watches and selling them to resellers, which means they may only be available through other retailers for a limited time.
The order only applies to sales in the US, meaning you should still be able to purchase the Series 9 and Ultra 2 abroad.
Best Buy and Walmart both confirmed that they would continue selling the Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2. Amazon and Target did not respond to CNET's question about whether the affected watches will continue to be sold, but all four retailers have continued offering both watches through their websites at the time of writing.
The Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 are the only models affected. Since the legal dispute involves the blood oxygen sensing tech used in the Apple Watch, the Apple Watch SE will continue to be sold as usual. The Apple Watch SE is the lower-end model in Apple's lineup, meaning it's missing some health tracking features like blood oxygen sensing and the ability to take an ECG.
Current Apple Watches with blood oxygen monitoring, which includes any non-SE models starting with the Series 6, also remain unaffected. There is no impact for those who already own the Apple Watch Series 9 or Ultra 2.
Masimo is a medical technology company that creates professional and consumer health products, including a smartwatch called the Masimo W1. The ITC order is the latest development in an ongoing legal dispute between Apple and Masimo, in which the latter accused Apple of infringing on its pulse oximeter patents.
Apple said it's pursuing a range of legal and technical options to resume Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 sales. The customs office will decide whether Apple's proposed redesigns infringe Masimo's patents on Jan. 12, according to Reuters.
Apple didn't provide details about what the proposed redesign entails. Ahead of the decision being finalized, Bloomberg reported that Apple was developing a software change that alters how the watches monitor and present blood oxygen levels as a workaround.
Those with an iPhone who just want a smartwatch for tracking activity, workouts and sleep should consider the $249 Apple Watch SE. While it lacks ECG and blood oxygen monitoring, it can still provide notifications for high and low heart rates and irregular heart rhythms.
The Apple Watch SE is the best choice for those who are most comfortable in Apple's ecosystem, but other options work across iPhone and Android, like the Fitbit Versa 4 and Garmin Venu 3.
Those who are specifically looking to monitor blood oxygen levels from home should consider buying a standalone pulse oximeter, said Jennifer Schrack, a professor in the Department of Epidemiology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
"Consumer wearables are a great supplemental way for people to stay informed about their health, but they are subject to error," Schrack said over email. "It is important to remember that they are measuring blood oxygen using PPG sensors, which can be affected by things like skin tone."
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The first-gen Apple Watch Ultra is still a great wearable and right now you can grab one before Christmas for $639.
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Picking up a new smartwatch means choosing from a welter of options, but those options narrow sharply if you're an iPhone user. The Apple Watch Ultra is one of the best wearables on the market, which makes it a great place to start shopping -- especially for fitness enthusiasts and intrepid explorers. The Apple Watch Ultra 2 was released in September, but the differences between the two are pretty negligible, so it's always worth checking out deals on the older model. And it just so happens there's one you won't want to miss.
Right now, you can pick up a first-gen Apple Watch Ultra from Best Buy for $639, down from its $799 launch price. That's just $10 more than the lowest we have ever seen it go. What's more, you can pick this watch up in-store, perfect for those last-minute Christmas gift buyers out there. Stock levels are dependent on your location, though.
At face value, the rugged looks of the Apple Watch Ultra might seem like it's mostly made for people who are into athletics and fitness, but it's much more versatile than that. For example, it has a longer battery life than most Apple Watches, as well as a much brighter screen. If that wasn't enough, this 49mm version of the app has both cellular and dual-GPS frequencies, the latter of which is great if you like to jog or run and want to keep track of it.
It also has the full suite of tracking sensors and features, including things like VO2 Max, heart-rate detection and the new-ish car crash detection. There's no built-in app or metric to tie them all together, like the Body Battery from Garmin, but the stats are there in detail to view them when you'd like, and third-party apps can take advantage of them. Also, for those who are into more athletic activities, the Watch Ultra is water-resistant down to 100 meters and comes with a titanium body that makes it a lot more hardy in the great outdoors.
If you're on the fence about which watch to pick, it's also worth looking at our comparison between the Watch Ultra 2 versus the Watch Ultra. If you decide to go for the newer Apple Watch Ultra 2, you should check out these Apple Watch Ultra deals for some great offers.
CNET is covering a wide array of deals on tech products and much more this holiday season. Start with the hottest sales and discounts on the CNET Deals page, along with our top gift picks for the holidays. Check out our CNET Coupons page for current Walmart discount codes, eBay coupons, Samsung promo codes and more from hundreds of other online stores. Sign up for the CNET Deals Text to get daily deals sent straight to your phone. Add the free CNET Shopping extension to your browser for real-time price comparisons and cash-back offers.
Skip the latest model and save a huge chunk of change by going for the still-great Apple Watch Series 8.
The Apple Watch Series 9 is the latest and greatest model that Apple has to offer, but in reality, it's a fairly minor upgrade over the Apple Watch Series 8. That's important, too, with the year-old model now available for such a low price that we'd wager most people would be better saving the money and buying that instead of the new one.
The Apple Watch Series 8 remains one of the best smartwatches around, and we've seen a steady trickle of Apple Watch Series 8 deals since the new model debuted back in September. Right now you can pick up an Apple Watch Series 8 in the 41mm configuration for just $249 at Walmart in a variety of color and band setups, while those who prefer the larger models can go that route and pay just $279. Amazon is matching those prices, though only has the red version in stock right now.
Both of these deals get you the Wi-Fi version of the Apple Watch, but cellular configurations are available starting from $329 at Amazon ot Walmart if you're someone who likes to stay connected without taking their iPhone with them. Just remember that you'll need a cellular plan to go with it.Though the Series 8 itself wasn't a complete revolution over its predecessor, it has some upgrades over the Series 7, including a temperature sensor and ovulation tracking. It's a great choice, particularly if you're getting a smartwatch for the first time or are leveling up from one that's a few generations old. And when it comes to the Apple Watch Series 9, there isn't all that much that you're going to miss out on by choosing the 2022 model, either.
Read more: Apple Watch 9 Specs: How It Compares to the Series 8, Series 7 and Series 6
The Apple Watch Series 8 can track your workouts, temperature and sleep, has safety features like car-crash and fall detection, and allows you to get calls, notifications and reminders right on your wrist. Plus, you can use Apple Pay at the checkout. And while it may not have all the ruggedness of the Apple Watch Ultra, the Series 8 is crack-resistant, IP6X-rated dust-resistant and swim-proof with WR50 water resistance.
CNET is covering a wide array of deals on tech products and much more this holiday season. Start with the hottest sales and discounts on the CNET Deals page, along with our top gift picks for the holidays. Check out our CNET Coupons page for current Walmart discount codes, eBay coupons, Samsung promo codes and more from hundreds of other online stores. Sign up for the CNET Deals Text to get daily deals sent straight to your phone. Add the free CNET Shopping extension to your browser for real-time price comparisons and cash-back offers.
