Ban on Latest Watch Imports Overturned in the US

In a surprising turn of events, Apple’s latest smartwatches, the Series 9 and Ultra 2, are set to make a comeback in the US after an emergency appeal filed by the tech giant proved successful.

Sales of these devices had previously been halted due to a patent dispute with medical device maker Masimo, which accused Apple of staff poaching and technology theft.

Despite the White House declining to overturn the initial ban on sales and imports, Apple sought relief from the US Court of Appeals, resulting in the ban being lifted.

The US International Trade Commission (USITC) had issued the ban in October after finding that Apple had infringed on two patents owned by Masimo.

Earlier this month, Apple proactively removed the disputed devices from its US site and stores. However, with the emergency appeal succeeding, the Series 9 and Ultra 2 watches are poised to return to the market.

The ban, which also impacted imports, was subject to a 60-day review by the president, who chose not to overturn the decision, prompting Apple’s urgent appeal.

The company had strongly disagreed with the USITC ruling and had asked for a stay on the ban until Customs and Border Protection could evaluate redesigned versions of the watches without the disputed technology.

Apple’s legal battle with Masimo centered on the blood-oxygen reading feature, present in most smartwatches since 2020.

The lower-cost SE models and previously sold watches remain unaffected by the ban. Apple, in a statement, expressed its disagreement with the decision and vowed to return the Series 9 and Ultra 2 watches to customers in the US at the earliest opportunity.