In a setback for tech giant Apple, the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) has denied the company’s request to delay the ban on sales of the Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2. The ban stems from a patent dispute with medical device maker Masimo, which alleges that the SpO2 sensors in these watches infringe on its patents.
Despite Apple’s announcement to remove the affected models from shelves following the October ruling, the ITC’s decision has broader implications. Out-of-warranty repairs for several Apple Watch models, including the Series 6 and later, are now unavailable in the U.S., affecting non-warranty repairs for the foreseeable future.
Apple is not yielding to the ban without a fight. The company has appealed the decision to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in Washington, D.C. An Apple spokesperson expressed the company’s strong disagreement with the ruling and detailed ongoing efforts to resume sales, including a potential software update addressing patent concerns.
The ban, effective since December 26, prohibits the import and sale of the Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 in the U.S., impacting Apple’s online and retail sales channels. Apple’s hope for intervention from the Biden administration was dashed, leaving the ITC’s decision as the final word.
The dispute revolves around the SpO2 sensor found in various Apple Watch models, with Apple attempting a software-based resolution. However, Masimo insists on hardware modifications, prolonging the uncertainty surrounding the ban’s duration.
As Apple navigates the legal battleground, consumers are left in limbo, unable to access out-of-warranty repairs for affected models. The appeal process is anticipated to extend the final verdict for about a year, leaving the tech community eagerly awaiting the resolution of this high-stakes patent dispute.
Source: Reuters
