Apple has made a surprise decision to pause some Apple Watch sales before Christmas due to an ongoing patent dispute with a third-party supplier. The pause comes after a federal judge issued a preliminary injunction on November 6th that temporarily prevented any shipments of the device from leaving an Apple supplier in the US.
The dispute, which is between Apple and a patent-holding group, revolves around technology used in the Apple Watch’s digital crown and heart rate monitor. Apple had reportedly been attempting to reach an out-of-court settlement with the patent-holding group but was unable to do so before the ruling.
The injunction applies to certain Apple Watch models and could affect inventory levels for the product. Apple has not revealed the exact models that are affected or which supplier is responsible for the dispute.
Apple is reportedly urging customers to order the Apple Watch as soon as possible in order to avoid any supply disruptions over the Christmas period. The company is also working to try and ensure that the injunction does not affect its ability to meet holiday demand.
