Apple is removing a blood-oxygen sensor from some of its watches, dealing a potential blow to its healthcare ambitions, The Wall Street Journal reported.
The move comes after the U.S. International Trade Commission ruled in October that Apple had violated a patent for them held by medtech company Masimo, which led to an import ban and the temporary halting of sales of certain Apple Watch models, according to the Jan. 15 story.
An Apple spokesperson told the Journal the blood-oxygen feature would be available for now as the company challenges the trade ban. The appeals process could take a year or more.
Masimo had sued in 2021, alleging Apple had stolen its blood-oxygen technology, a claim Apple has denied. While the Apple Watch accounts for just 5% of the tech giant's sales, the device "plays an outsize role in the company's growing ambitions in health," the Journal reported, with health-tracking features that have helped make it the top-selling smartwatch.