The United States has officially implemented a ban on the import and sale of Apple Watch Series 9 and Watch Ultra 2 models, following a decision by the International Trade Commission (ITC) that certain Apple Watch models violated the patented blood oxygen saturation technology owned by medical tech company Masimo. This technology is related to the blood oxygen (SpO2) monitoring feature found in the affected Apple watches. The ban comes into effect on December 26, and Apple is currently appealing the decision, stating that it strongly disagrees with the ITC’s order.
In response to the ban, Apple has filed an emergency appeal with the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. The company is seeking a temporary stay on the ban until the US Customs and Border Protection evaluates redesigned versions of its watches for potential patent infringement, with a deadline of January 12. Apple had already halted the sale of Watch Series 9 and Watch Ultra 2 in the US on its website from December 21, and from its physical stores after December 24.
Masimo, based in California, had previously alleged that Apple’s pulse reader feature violated its pulse-oximeter technology. The ITC issued the ban in October, ordering Apple to cease selling previously imported devices with the blood oxygen pulse oximeter sensor. The Presidential Review Period concluded on December 25, and the Office of US Trade Representative Katherine Tai decided not to reverse the ITC’s determination, allowing the ban to proceed.
While the ban affects sales and imports of the specified Apple Watch models in the US, these models remain available for purchase outside the country. The Apple Watch SE, which lacks the SpO2 sensor, is not impacted by the ban. Apple has included a SpO2 tracker in its wearables since the introduction of the Series 6 model in 2020. The company is actively taking measures to contest the ban and aims to return the affected models to US customers as soon as possible.
