WASHINGTON: The US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit has denied to extend an interim stay on the Apple Watch ban, Western media reported on Thursday.
The issue has stemmed from a patent infringement dispute between Apple and the medical-monitoring technology company Masimo.
The court’s decision means that Apple will once again have to stop selling its Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 devices that have the blood oxygen measuring technology.
This is a major setback for Apple, which has been trying to find a way to evade the International Trade Commission’s import ban.
Earlier, the US Customs and Border Protection said that Apple can use a redesign watch to bypass an import ban on newer Apple Watch models.
The import ban by the US International Trade Commission (ITC), applies to Apple’s current Series of 9 and Ultra 2 watches and initially came into effect on December 26.
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Masimo blames Apple of hiring away its employees and stealing its pulse oximetry technology to use in Apple Watches. Apple has termed Masimo’s legal actions a maneuver to clear a path for its own smartwatch.
The ITC stopped Apple’s imports and sales of watches with technology for reading blood-oxygen levels based on accusations that they infringe two Masimo patents.
According to western media reports Apple Watches with the software modification had already been shipped to Apple Stores.
Apple has added a pulse oximeter feature in smartwatches since its Series 6 Apple Watch in 2020.
