Apple secures pause on US watch import ban amid patent dispute
Apple has successfully obtained a temporary halt to a US government commission’s import ban on certain Apple smartwatches.
The pause comes after a patent dispute with medical technology firm Masimo, where the US International Trade Commission (ITC) ruled in favour of Masimo, claiming that Apple had infringed on its patents.
Apple swiftly filed an emergency request with the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit to suspend the order.
Despite having the authority to veto the ban, the Biden administration chose not to intervene on December 26, allowing the ban to go into effect. Subsequently, Apple sought a suspension of the ban on the same day, and the US appeals court granted the pause.
Masimo alleges that Apple engaged in employee poaching appropriated its pulse oximetry technology, and incorporated it into Apple Watches.
The ITC’s ruling resulted in prohibiting the import and sale of Apple Watches equipped with technology for reading blood-oxygen levels. Apple, beginning with its Series 6 model in 2020, introduced a pulse oximeter feature in its smartwatches.
As a consequence of the ban, Apple has temporarily halted sales of its Series 9 and Ultra 2 smartwatches in the US. However, these models remain available through retailers like Amazon, Best Buy, Costco, and Walmart.
Importantly, the ban does not impact the Apple Watch SE, a more budget-friendly model without a pulse oximeter, and previously sold watches are also exempt.
The legal battle between Apple and Masimo extends beyond the ITC ruling. A jury trial in California federal court regarding Masimo’s allegations against Apple concluded in a mistrial in May.
Simultaneously, Apple has initiated a separate lawsuit against Masimo for patent infringement in a federal court in Delaware. Apple characterises Masimo’s legal actions as a strategic move aimed at facilitating the entry of its competing smartwatch into the market.
The ongoing legal saga highlights the complexities and intricacies of patent disputes in the tech industry.