The US International Trade Commission has ordered Apple to stop importing certain Apple Watch models to the US due to a patent dispute with Masimo.

The dispute involves Masimo's pulse oximeter patent, which Apple was found to have infringed upon.

The ban is estimated to affect about $5 billion in sales annually and only applies to Apple's direct sales channels.

Apple plans to appeal the ruling and is exploring software updates, licensing the technology, or making hardware changes to avoid the ban.

The ban only applies to the US market, with the affected models still being available internationally.

There may be a shortage of the affected watches at major retailers.

Masimo CEO Joe Kiani is open to a settlement, but Apple has not made any moves to discuss a settlement.

Customers have alternative smartwatch options available, such as the Series 8 and SE models from Apple, as well as Garmin and Fitbit.