Apple Faces US Ban on Smartwatch Sales Amid Ongoing Patent Dispute with Masimo

Apple is facing another setback in the US market as it has been prohibited from selling two of its smartwatch models, Series 9 and Ultra 2, due to an ongoing patent dispute with medical technology company Masimo. A recent decision by a US appeals court has reversed the previous allowance for Apple to continue selling these watches during the legal proceedings. This move also impacts the importation of these watch models.

The dispute centers around allegations by Masimo and its spin-off company, Cercacor, accusing Apple of unfair competition, including poaching key staff and misappropriating technology developed by Masimo to measure blood oxygen levels. In October, the US International Trade Commission ruled in favor of Masimo, stating that Apple had infringed on certain patent rights, and issued an order to halt specific imports and sales. Although this order was set to take effect in late December, it was temporarily halted pending the appeal.

As a response to the ban, Apple has announced that it will release versions of its watches without the disputed blood oxygen feature to ensure their availability in the market. Most of Apple’s watches, including the Series 9 and Ultra 2, have incorporated this feature since 2020, but the SE model does not include it.

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The import restriction on the affected watches came into effect at 17:00 ET on Thursday. In light of this development, Masimo’s founder and CEO, Joe Kiani, emphasized the importance of respecting intellectual rights and holding even the largest companies accountable for patent infringements.

Apple, on the other hand, expressed strong disagreement with the US International Trade Commission’s findings, stating that it is taking measures to comply with the ruling while minimizing disruption for customers. The legal battle between Apple and Masimo continues to unfold, marking another chapter in the ongoing intellectual property disputes within the tech industry.

This latest challenge for Apple comes at a time when the company has recently claimed the majority of the global smartphone market share, surpassing Samsung for the first time in 12 years. Despite its dominance in the smartphone market, Apple is now navigating legal hurdles that may impact its smartwatch sales in the US.