Apple Faces Setback in US as Court Bans Sales of Two Smartwatch Models Amid Ongoing Patent Dispute

Apple is once again prohibited from selling two of its smartwatch models in the United States, marking a significant development in the ongoing legal battle over a patent dispute. The US appeals court has overturned its earlier decision, preventing the tech giant from selling the Series 9 and Ultra 2 watches during the ongoing proceedings. This decision also impacts the importation of these watches.

In response to the ban, Apple has announced its intention to release watches without the disputed blood oxygen feature, allowing them to remain available for purchase. This move comes as the latest twist in the legal conflict between Apple and medical technology company Masimo, along with its spin-off Cercacor.



Masimo and Cercacor have accused Apple of unethical practices, including poaching key staff and stealing technology designed to measure oxygen levels in the blood. In October, the US International Trade Commission supported these claims, finding that Apple had violated certain patent rights. An order was issued to halt specific imports and sales, originally scheduled to take effect in late December but temporarily paused during the ongoing appeal.

The affected watches, including the Series 9 and Ultra 2, will no longer be importable after 17:00 ET (22:00 GMT) on Thursday. Masimo’s founder and CEO, Joe Kiani, emphasized the importance of respecting intellectual property rights, stating that even the largest companies must face consequences for patent infringement.

Despite Apple’s strong disagreement with the US International Trade Commission’s findings, the company is taking steps to comply with the ruling while minimizing disruption for customers. Notably, Apple’s dominance in the global smartphone market remains unaffected, with the company claiming more than a fifth of phones shipped last year, surpassing Samsung for the first time in 12 years, according to data from the International Data Corporation.

Next Story