Apple has been banned again from selling two of its latest smartwatch models in the United States amid an ongoing legal battle over patent infringement.
A U.S. appeals court reversed an earlier decision that had allowed Apple to continue selling the Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 during the legal proceedings. As a result, imports and sales of these models have been halted.
To keep the devices available in stores, Apple announced on Thursday that it will release modified versions of the watches without the blood oxygen sensor—a feature at the center of the dispute.
The conflict stems from claims by medical technology company Masimo and its spin-off Cercacor. They accuse Apple of hiring key employees and stealing technology used to measure blood oxygen levels.
In October, the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) ruled that Apple had violated some of Masimo’s patents. The ITC issued a ban on specific imports and sales, which was temporarily paused during Apple’s appeal. That pause has now been lifted, and the ban took effect at 5 p.m. ET (10 p.m. GMT) on Thursday.
Since 2020, most Apple Watches, including the Series 9 and Ultra 2, have included the blood oxygen feature. The Apple Watch SE is not affected, as it does not include that technology.
Masimo CEO Joe Kiani welcomed the ruling, saying it proves that “even the largest and most powerful companies must respect the intellectual rights of American inventors.”
Apple maintains it did not infringe on any patents and said it “strongly disagreed” with the ITC’s findings. The company added it is “taking steps to comply with the ruling while ensuring customers have access to Apple Watch with limited disruption.”
Despite the legal challenge, Apple recently claimed the top spot in the global smartphone market for the first time in over a decade, surpassing Samsung. According to new data from the International Data Corporation, Apple shipped more than one-fifth of all smartphones worldwide last year.
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