The White House Stands Firm on Apple Watch Import Ban
In a controversial decision on Tuesday, December 26, the White House refused to overturn Apple’s patent infringement ruling, resulting in a sales ban on Apple smartwatches in the United States. This ban officially came into effect after the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) ruled in October that Apple’s latest two watches, Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2, infringed Masimo’s blood oxygen monitoring patent.
The U.S. White House will take 60 days to evaluate the import ban, and the decision lies with U.S. Trade Representative Dai Qi. In a statement on the 26th, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative stated that Ambassador Dai Qi decided not to overturn the ITC’s ruling, making the ban final on December 26, 2023.
On the same day, Apple expressed strong opposition to the ITC’s decision and the resulting import ban in a statement. The company announced that it would file a lawsuit with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit against the ITC’s ruling and take all measures to sell Series 9 and Ultra 2 as soon as possible to U.S. customers.
Apple also filed court documents stating that the company would suffer “irreparable harm” if the ban remains in place. Within days, an emergency motion was filed seeking to temporarily lift the sales ban on the two watches while the court hears its appeal.
The White House’s refusal to overturn the ruling means that Apple’s latest watches will be completely suspended from sale in the United States. The battle between Apple and Masimo continues to escalate, and the fate of the popular Series 9 and Ultra 2 watches remains uncertain. Stay tuned for further updates on this developing story.