Apple has reportedly made a surprising decision to pause some Apple Watch sales before Christmas due to a patent dispute.
According to a report by the Wall Street Journal, Apple has reportedly paused sales of certain versions of its Watch after losing a court battle over a patent owned by a Dutch start-up. The patent covers a need to show audio messages on the screen of the Watch.
The court ordered Apple to cease sales and “irrevocably recall” all units of its Watch Series 5 that contain the disputed technology. While Apple is appealing the ruling, it likely won’t get resolved in time for the holiday shopping season.
It’s unclear how long the disruption will last, but it could be enough to present a problem for consumers hoping to get the Watch as a Christmas gift. Apple has not made any official comment on the situation yet.
