Following a patent dispute with medical technology company Masimo, Apple was banned from selling Apple Watches with SpO2 (blood oxygen level) sensors in the United States.
The verdict barred Apple from selling the Watch Series 9 and Watch Ultra 2 in the United States on its website after 3 p.m. ET on December 21, and in stores beginning December 24.
Apple filed an appeal against this order in the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, requesting that the ban be lifted temporarily until US Customs could decide if the adjustments Apple is making to the Apple Watch are sufficient to avoid the disagreement; the request was granted.
With the injunction temporarily lifted, Apple can restart sales of its latest watches through its stores until the next hearing, which is slated for January 12, 2024.
Masimo filed two complaints against Apple, one with the US District Court and the other with the International Trade Commission. It is now up to US President Joe Biden to decide whether to keep the ban or veto it, which is unusual. President Barack Obama vetoed an ITC import ban on the iPhone 4 in 2013, although President Biden had previously upheld an ITC order against the Apple Watch over the EKG feature.
We’ll have to wait the coming few weeks to see how this plays out for Apple.
