Ban on Apple Watch sales in the US will be appealed by Apple
After US sales of its newest smart watches were suspended due to a patent dispute, Apple said that it will file an appeal.
It follows the White House‘s decision not to reverse the import and sales restriction that went into force this week on the Series 9 and Ultra 2 timepieces.
The US International Trade Commission intervened on behalf of gadget manufacturer Masimo, which claims Apple has stolen its intellectual property and employees. According to Apple, it «strongly disagrees» with the decision.
Apple «pre-emptively» banned the devices from US retailers and its website earlier this month. There has been no impact on sales elsewhere.
The president, who has the authority to veto the decision, has sixty days to examine the October order from the US International Trade Commission (USITC). Christmas Day marked the end of that review session.
Apple had asked for a suspension of the ban so that Customs and Border Protection (CBP) could evaluate whether the revised models of Apple’s watches—which do not contain the disputed technology—violate Masimo’s patents.
The US International Trade Commission (USITC) October order is subject to a sixty-day examination period by the president, who possesses the power to veto the judgment. That review session ended on Christmas Day.
The CBP is expected to decide on January 12th, an Apple representative informed me.
In October, the USITC determined that Apple had violated two patents held by Masimo Corporation, a manufacturer of medical devices.
The California-based business claimed that Apple had stolen their technology to assess blood oxygen levels and was also stealing important employees.
The contentious blood oxygen feature has been a part of the majority of Apple Watch models since 2020. Its less expensive SE model doesn’t. The prohibition will not apply to timepieces that have already been sold.
