Apple Gets Watch Ban Temporarily Halted To Rush Out A Remedy
Photo 294912972 © Ifeelstock | Dreamstime.com
Apple finds temporary relief as a federal appeals court has paused the ban on sales of its latest Apple Watch models. The dispute, a patent clash with Masimo, a medical technology company, centers on technology used for measuring blood oxygen levels, a key feature in the new smartwatches.
The US International Trade Commission had ruled in favor of Masimo, asserting that Apple infringed on patents integral to pulse oximetry technology. This decision led to the initial prohibition of the import and sale of the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 via Apple’s direct retail channels. Meanwhile, third-party merchants were only able to sell remaining stock, given the import ban.
The Cupertino tech giant, in turn, made an emergency appeal and sought for temporary reprieve, pleading for additional time for US Customs to evaluate modifications made to the watches so that it can potentially sidestep the patent infringement.
The pulse oximetry technology at the heart of the battle is widely used in medical settings and has been a feature in various health and fitness devices. It involves non-invasive methods of monitoring the oxygen saturation level of the blood, critical for assessing respiratory and cardiovascular health. Apple incorporated this feature into its smartwatches, promoting them as health monitoring tools.
The court’s decision to hold off on the ban means Apple can continue selling its latest models while awaiting a definitive ruling. And once it did get its chance, the brand quickly put the models back in stores on Wednesday. It also plans to relist them online on Thursday afternoon.
This tentative relief is vital for Apple, as the Apple Watch is a key player in its product lineup, although it comes a tad too late for the holiday shopping window.
The pause is effective only until January 10, with a crucial decision regarding whether a redesigned version of the watches will be approved for sale anticipated on January 12.
The company is hard at work during this downtime. Per 9to5Mac, it has submitted a software update it hopes will help it tide through this vexation.
[via Axios, NBC News, 9to5Mac, cover photo 294912972 © Ifeelstock | Dreamstime.com]
