Medical device manufacturer Masimo accuses Apple of patent infringement.
Apple said it will appeal a US ban on its latest smartwatch models after the Biden administration decided not to veto a ruling on patent infringement. Sales stopped on December 21 in the US, and imports of smartwatches were banned from December 25.
Although US President Joe Biden’s administration has the authority to lift import bans, such action is rarely taken.
Apple argues that the US International Trade Commission’s (ITC) decision was wrong and should be overturned. The company filed an appeal in US federal court.
“We strongly disagree with the ITC’s decision and the resulting ruling and are taking every action to return Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 to US customers as quickly as possible,” Apple said in a statement.
The ban on Apple’s latest smartwatches went into effect on Tuesday, with the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 no longer available in stores or online.
This is due to the SpO2 sensor, which measures the level of oxygen in the blood. In recent years, Apple has been in a legal battle over a patent with Masimo and ultimately lost.
Apple said Masimo “wrongfully attempted to use ITC to deprive millions of American consumers of a potentially life-saving product, while ‘clearing’ the way for its own Apple-copy watches.”
A trial on Masimo’s charges took place in May, but the case ended inconclusively because the jury was unable to reach a unanimous decision. Apple claims Masimo is using the lawsuits to power its own Apple Watch-inspired products. Late last year, the American IT giant filed two patent infringement lawsuits, accusing Masimo of copying its smartwatch technology.
Apple has been steadily expanding fitness and health features with each generation of its Apple Watch, which dominates the smartwatch segment. Apple released the Apple Watch Series 9 in September, touting improved performance and the ability to record health data.
JP Morgan analysts predicted that Apple will lose about $5 billion due to the ban on the sale of Apple Watch 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2.
Ekaterina Sadkova
