Apple
will continue to sell the
Apple Watch
models that were banned from import in the US as the company secured a win when a US appeals court paused a government commission's order passed following a patent dispute with medical-technology firm
Masimo
.
Earlier this week, the iPhone maker filed an emergency request in the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit to halt the order after the government decided to not veto the US International Trade Commission's (ITC) decision to ban some models of the Apple Watch smartwatches that allegedly infringed Masimo's patents.
In a four-paragraph ruling, the court said it would halt the ban while it considers Apple's motion for a longer-term pause during the appeals process. ITC now has until January 10 to respond to Apple's request. Meanwhile, Apple can resume selling the Series 9 and Ultra 2 smartwatches in the country, and the wearables are available at other retailers including Amazon, Best Buy, Costco and Walmart.
Apple Watch ban issue
The ITC barred imports and sales of Apple Watches with technology for reading blood-oxygen levels. Apple also included a
pulse oximeter feature
in its smartwatches starting with its Series 6 model in 2020.
Masimo accused Apple of hiring away its employees and stealing its pulse oximetry technology to incorporate it into Apple Watches. Apple called Masimo's legal actions a “manoeuvre to clear a path” for its own competing smartwatch.
The Biden administration had until December 26 to veto the ban but it decided to allow the ban, following which Apple appealed in the court.
What next for Apple
A final decision on the matter could cost either company millions of dollars and potentially force a settlement or some kind of technological workaround by Apple, news agency Reuters cited some analysts as saying. Apple is already working on a range of legal and technical options. It was even said to be working on a fix to circumvent the tech concerned.
The customs agency has set a target date of January 12 for its decision, Apple said. The ban did not affect the Apple Watch SE, a less-expensive model without a pulse oximeter.
English (US) ·