In the ongoing patent dispute between Apple and Masimo, the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit has declined to extend the interim stay on the Apple Watch ban. Consequently, Apple is set to once again halt the sale of its Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 devices with the disputed technology, starting at 5 PM ET on January 18th.
This development deals a setback to Apple’s efforts to navigate around the International Trade Commission’s import ban. A recent letter from Masimo revealed that US Customs and Border Protection has approved a measure allowing the removal of the blood oxygen feature from relevant Apple Watches, potentially enabling Apple to resume sales. However, Apple has not officially confirmed its intention to implement this modification.
Reports from Bloomberg suggest that Apple Watches with the software alteration have already been shipped to Apple Stores. The initial ban came into effect last month when Apple was found to be infringing on Masimo’s patents related to blood oxygen monitoring. The ban was briefly lifted a day later following the issuance of a temporary stay by the federal appeals court.
The Verge has reached out to both Apple and Masimo for further clarification, but responses from the involved parties are pending as of now. The situation adds another layer of complexity to the protracted legal battle between the tech giant and Masimo.
