Apple is willing to eliminate the blood-oxygen sensor from its web-connected watches in the event that a court does not grant it additional flexibility as it seeks to reverse a decision that has prohibited its implementation of the technology.

According to a court filing on Monday, Masimo, a company based in Southern California, has obtained approval from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection for a potential revamp of two Apple Watch versions, the Series 9 and Ultra 2. This redesign would not include the blood-oxygen sensor, as Masimo is currently pursuing a patent claim against Apple.

The details about Apple’s strategy for removing the blood-oxygen sensor were not disclosed in the document. However, experts have theorized that this change may be implemented through a software update.

In late October, the U.S. International Trade Commission ruled in favor of Masimo, causing Apple to temporarily stop selling Apple Watch models with blood-oxygen sensors right before Christmas. However, Apple appealed the decision, leading to an order that allowed the two Apple Watch models to be sold again shortly after Christmas while the appeal is being reviewed.

The U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington will determine at the end of this month if the stay will be extended. If it is, the Series 9 and Ultra 2 will continue to be sold with their blood-oxygen sensors.

The appeals process could take up to a year, so Apple will likely have to keep selling the watches with blood-oxygen sensors for an extended period of time. This is part of their efforts to promote the products as health-tracking devices.

Apple did not provide a statement regarding the legal document that revealed its intention to eliminate the blood-oxygen sensor unless the delay is prolonged.

Masimo and Apple have presented opposing descriptions of the technology at the center of the dispute in their submissions to the appeals court.

Masimo has depicted itself as a pioneer in the making of blood-oxygen sensors on wearable devices, prompting Apple to begin luring away some of its employees as far back as 2013 — a year before the first version of the Apple Watch was unveiled.

In September 2020, Apple released a watch that included a blood-oxygen sensor, amidst the ongoing pandemic. Masimo, a company that produces pulse oximeters used by medical professionals and hospitals for over 200 million patients each year, accused the technology of being unreliable and potentially damaging to the reputation and sales of its W1 medical watch.

Apple has refuted claims of violating a technology owned by Masimo, which is not widely accessible to consumers. According to Apple, Masimo’s W1 watch was not even on the market when the disagreement began in 2021, and the device has only made insignificant sales. In comparison, Apple holds about one-third of the smartwatch market share, which contributes an estimated $18 billion in annual revenue for the company based in Cupertino, California. This accounts for approximately 5% of Apple’s yearly earnings.