Apple Watch Import Ban Reversed By US Appeals Court

(CTN News) – As part of a patent dispute with medical-monitoring technology company Masimo (MASI.O), Apple Watch (AAPL.O) has asked an appeals court to reconsider a decision by a U.S. trade tribunal that banned imports of some Apple Watches. The decision came from a U.S. trade tribunal.

During the hearing, Apple noted that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit had ruled that the United States The decision of the International Trade Commission was based on a series of substantively defective patent rulings, and Masimo failed to demonstrate that its investment in making competing U.S. products was sufficient to justify the order, as it was based on a series of substantively defective patent rulings.

The representatives of Apple and Masimo did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the filing when contacted.

Masimo, an Irvine, California-based company, has accused Apple of hiring away its employees and stealing its pulse oximetry technology in response to discussions about a potential collaboration between the two companies.

In 2020, Apple announced it was introducing pulse oximetry to its Series 6 Apple Watches for the first time.

After finding that Apple’s latest Series 9 and Ultra 2 smartwatches infringed Masimo’s patents on reading blood oxygen levels, Masimo convinced the ITC on Dec. 26 to block imports of that company’s latest smartwatches.

The Federal Circuit suspended the ban on sales of Apple watches the following day after Apple was able to persuade it to temporarily lift the ban. Apple has said that it could take at least a year for the appeals court to reinstate its ban, which has led to it removing pulse oximetry capabilities from Apple Watch sold during the appeal, which Apple has said could last at least a year.

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) determined separately in January that redesigned versions of Masimo’s watches did not violate Masimo’s rights and would not be subject to the ban as a result.

There is no pulse oximetry capability contained in the watches according to Masimo claims in its court filing.

A Federal Circuit judge on Friday ruled that Apple had no basis to appeal the ban because the Masimo wearable that was covered by the patents at the time it filed its complaint to the ITC in 2021 was “purely hypothetical.”

Furthermore, the tech giant asserted that Masimo’s patents were invalid and that its watches did not infringe upon them.

SEE ALSO:

Delaporte Resigns As Wipro CEO; He’ll Be Replaced By An Insider