Apple is one of the most valuable companies on the planet.

Why are they just outright stripping this feature instead of just paying the patent fee? (As in literally removing the chips, actually stripping it.)

Are the patent fees so astronomical that it would put even Apple Computer, one of the most highly valued companies in existence, in line for bankruptcy? Or am I missing something and this wasn't an option, that the patent owners don't want to be paid, but just to be in control?

If Apple can afford the patent fees, it shows how ridiculously wasteful and petty corporations can choose to be.

If Apple can't afford the patent fees, it's more of an indictment of the patent system itself, if the largest and most valuable company on the planet can be dismantled via patent fees.

Either way, this is a bad fucking look.

a victory for the integrity of the American patent system and the safety of people relying on pulse oximetry.

It's always interesting how patent holders act like this protects people ("safety") when arguably it just denies people access to their functioning patented device, instead possibly relying on devices that don't function as well or no devices at all. Isn't it less safe to not be using an industry-standard?

This is the best summary I could come up with:

Apple had requested a stay on the ban while it appealed a US International Trade Commission ruling that went into effect last month.

The redesigned watches will not contain a pulse oximeter function, a medical scanner technology that measures the oxygen concentration in the blood stream and the feature that was at issue in the patent dispute.

Customers who have already purchased an Apple Watch Series 9 or Ultra 2 with the pulse oximeter feature will not be affected.

The import ban stems from an October ITC ruling that the pulse oximeter feature in the advanced Apple Watch models violated a patent belonging to California company Masimo.

The ruling meant that Apple could no longer import the offending models to the United States, and the company began pulling them off of its shelves when the ban officially went into effect in December.

Masimo CEO Joe Kiani in a statement cheered the decision to end the temporary pause on the ban, calling it “a victory for the integrity of the American patent system and the safety of people relying on pulse oximetry.”

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