In a significant legal win for Apple, a U.S. appeals court has temporarily lifted the ban on smartwatch imports that the ITC (International Trade Commission) had imposed on the tech giant. This ban was a result of a dispute over a patent with Masimo, a medical technology company based in California.
As a result of the court ruling, there was a 4.6% decline in Masimo’s shares.
Following the temporary ban, Apple was quick to file an emergency request with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.
This worked for Apple, as ITC’s order alleging Apple of infringing on Masimo’s patents on medical monitoring technology was put on pause.
Following this decision, Apple can now resume sales of its sophisticated Apple Watch Ultra 2 and Apple Watch Series 9 in the US.
The company accused Apple of violating its patents and hiring its employees.
Allegedly, Apple used the pulse oximeter technology developed by Masimo in its smartwatches to measure the level of oxygen in blood. This feature was initially introduced in 2020 in Apple’s Series 6 model.
Apple Expresses Enthusiasm In Response To The Decision
Apple stated that the two new models with the blood oxygen feature will be available online and in Apple Stores once again for purchase. Previously, the court ruling restricted these sales, but these watches could be purchased in other countries.
We are thrilled to return the full Apple Watch lineup to customers in time for the new year.Apple
While Masimo chose not to comment on the court’s decision, industry analysts predict that the financial implications of the dispute could be substantial for both companies.
The final decision will involve potential costs, and there might be a court settlement or a technological alternative from Apple. This can amount to millions of dollars for either company.
However, analysts are optimistic that the negative publicity that the lawsuit generated may outweigh Apple’s financial impact.
The Chief Macro Economist at Equiti Capital, Stuart Cole stated that the incident isn’t a good PR for Apple.
He also stated that the focus of Apple on the lawsuit extends beyond this software to other applications in the health-wearable industry.
Apple Remains Unfazed By The Legal Battle
Unfazed by the legal battle, Apple said before the court that it is exploring different technical and legal options.
At the court, the company said that currently, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection is assessing the redesigned versions of Apple watches to find out whether or not they infringe on patents held by Masimo. All eyes are on January 12, when the decision will be announced.
President Joe Biden’s administration decided not to veto the ban. The proactive measures from Apple, involving the emergency request speak a ton about its determination to get around the legal challenges. The ongoing dispute marks the raging competition in the wearable technology sector.
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