Apple is reportedly considering the removal of the blood oxygen sensor from its most advanced smartwatches, namely the Series 9 and Ultra 2. This is coming following a potential US prohibition if the company's appeal of the initial ruling is unsuccessful.

The tech giant is fighting to reverse a judgment by the US authorities that has restricted the deployment of its proprietary technology. News has it that the US agency in charge of customs and border affairs has given the green light for the proposed modification of Apple's Series 9 and Ultra 2 smartwatches without the blood oxygen sensor.

Market analysts predict that Apple can effect this change through a software update. This decision was necessitated by a patent claim made by a business entity based in Southern California against Apple. As a result, the US customs authority concluded that Apple's newly redesigned smartwatches are not subject to the import ban brought about by this patent dispute. This implies that Apple can continue to trade its smartwatches in US markets.

The American tech company, which had to momentarily stop selling the devices due to a favorable ruling awarded to the Southern California company by the US International Trade Commission, must now wait for a significant period–likely a year–for the appeal process to play out.

Regardless of this, Apple will need a prolonged recess to persist with the marketing of the smartwatches containing the blood-oxygen sensors. This is crucial to their bid to brand these smartwatches as health-monitoring gadgets.

In spite of the obstacles, Apple managed to obtain clearance during the appeal review to resume sales of the two smartwatch models soon after Christmas. To avert further implications of this patent dispute, Apple has developed a software workaround and successfully presented this solution to the Customs Agency, which is tasked with enforcing import prohibitions.

At the moment, Apple insists the redesigned smartwatches do not embrace the controversial sensor technology, referred to as pulse oximetry. Thus, while the appeal process unfolds over the next year or so, the blood-oxygen feature remains available on new models being sold by Apple.