If you're planning to buy an Apple Watch Ultra, do it now!

The Apple Watch Ultra was undoubtedly one of the best smartwatches released last year. Taking the popular Apple Watch blueprint and bolstering it with a host of extreme sporting credentials was a masterstroke, and the Ultra gained fans from a range of backgrounds.

In T3's review of the Ultra, we were impressed the solid build quality and the larger design, which made it even easier to use while on the move. Even better, that extra screen real estate doesn't translate to a massively different experience on the wrist. Don't get me wrong – it is bigger, but it won't look like you've strapped a satellite dish to your wrist either.

But if you're looking to buy an Apple Watch Ultra – or any other Apple Watch released since the Series 6 – now might be the time to do so. Recently, Apple were found guilty in a patent infringement lawsuit brought about by a company called Masimo. They manufacture a host of medical sensors, and claimed that Apple's use of light-based pulse oximetry on certain Apple Watch models infringed upon their patent.

The judge has ruled in favour of Masimo – something which Apple have disagreed with – which means the United States International Trade Commission (USITC) will now decide whether or not to ban the import of the offending devices. The worst case scenario, it would seem, would be a total ban on the offending devices. For consumers, that could make it pretty much impossible to get hold of one.

It's unclear how far reaching any such ban would be imposed. It's reasonable to assume that other large bodies like the EU might follow suit.

If you're looking to grab an Apple Watch, check out our guide to the best Apple Watch deals to make sure you don't miss out on a bargain.