Breaking through the legal deadlock, Apple has achieved a temporary victory in the courtroom battle with Masimo, a health tech company, over the sale of its latest wearables, the Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2. The US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit has stepped in, putting a halt to the import ban that had barred Apple from selling these devices in its own stores across the United States. The court’s decision, outlined in a filing on Wednesday, introduces a brief respite for Apple amidst the ongoing patent dispute, particularly regarding the blood oxygen level detection technology embedded in the Apple Watch.
This legal saga traces back to the US International Trade Commission’s (ITC) ruling, which enforced a ban on the Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2, affirming an earlier judgment from January that found Apple in violation of Masimo’s patents. Despite a window for President Joe Biden to reverse the ban during a presidential review, the opportunity lapsed on December 25, and the ban was formally solidified on December 26 after the US Trade Representative, Katherine Tai, opted not to overturn the ITC’s decision.
Undeterred, Apple is actively pursuing an appeal and concurrently working on a software update, awaiting assessment by US Customs. A crucial milestone looms on January 12 when the government is expected to decide whether Apple’s adjustments are substantial enough to lift the ban.
In anticipation of the ban, Apple proactively ceased sales of the Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 on its online stores from December 21 and at its physical stores from December 24. Nonetheless, consumers can still procure these wearables, along with the unaffected Apple Watch SE, through third-party retailers like Best Buy, Amazon, and Walmart, at least until existing supplies are depleted.