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Apple has won a crucial legal fight after a US trade tribunal rejected a bid to block imports of its Apple Watch over patent claims. The ruling removes any immediate threat to US sales and backs the company’s redesigned watches as non-infringing in its ongoing dispute with Masimo.
The controversy started when Masimo sued Apple Inc for allegedly using the patented technology to measure blood oxygen on the Apple Watch without authorization. According to Masimo, the tech giant poached their employees and developed a product based on the same technology.
Apple pushed back, saying it developed its own technology and later adjusted the feature to avoid any patent conflict. “We thank the ITC for its decision, which ensures we can continue to offer this important health feature to our users," Apple said. “For more than six years, Masimo has waged a relentless legal campaign against Apple, and nearly all of its claims have been rejected.”
The earlier ban came in 2023, when the US International Trade Commission ruled that some Apple Watch models violated patents held by Masimo on blood oxygen tracking. The decision blocked imports and briefly halted sales in the US.
In response, Apple Inc tweaked the feature, removing or limiting it in certain models, allowing the watches to return to the market while the legal battle continued.
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The fight is not over. Masimo can still appeal the latest ruling and take the case to a higher US court, keeping pressure on the Apple Watch. Other lawsuits between Masimo and Apple Inc are also ongoing, including claims for damages and patent disputes.
The future steps depend on how these cases move forward. Apple is likely to continue selling its redesigned watches while defending its position and trying to avoid any fresh disruption in the US market.
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