Apple to pull blood-oxygen tool from watches to avoid ban if appeal fails

Apple Inc. is planning to remove its blood-oxygen feature from its latest smartwatches — the Series 9 and Ultra 2 — to get around a US ban of the devices if an appeal of the decision fails.

The plan was disclosed Monday by Masimo Corp., which has been locked in a feud with Apple over patents related to the technology. It said that US Customs and Border Protection approved the move on Jan. 12. The agency “decided that Apple’s redesign falls outside the scope” of an import ban by the US International Trade Commission, signaling that the adjustment will let Apple keep its watches on the market.