Apple Watch ban temporarily lifted by court amid ongoing legal battle

In a recent development, Apple secured a temporary halt on the ban of its Apple Watch product as an appeals court intervened, ordering a pause in the ban that had taken effect just a day before. The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) has been given until January 10 to address Apple's plea for an extended stay, allowing the product to continue its market presence while legal proceedings unfold.

The ban primarily affected sales of the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2, both equipped with a contentious blood oxygen monitor central to a patent dispute. This decision by the ITC stemmed from allegations that Apple unlawfully integrated blood oxygen technology from Masimo, a medical tech entity.

Apple promptly expressed satisfaction at the court's decision, emphasizing the imminent return of the complete Apple Watch lineup to consumers ahead of the new year. Both contentious models, inclusive of the blood oxygen feature, swiftly resumed availability for purchase in Apple stores across the U.S. starting Wednesday, with online sales scheduled to commence at noon Pacific time on Thursday.


In its endeavor to navigate the legal maze, Apple has articulated its pursuit of diverse legal and technical measures, including proposing redesigned versions of the Series 9 and Ultra 2 for assessment by U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

Meanwhile, Masimo has yet to issue an official statement in response to these recent developments, remaining silent amidst the ongoing proceedings.

This legal tussle has witnessed the Biden administration's adherence to the ITC ruling on Tuesday, effectively halting the watches' sale within the U.S. However, Apple swiftly filed an emergency motion, seeking permission to resume the sale of its popular watches until a comprehensive decision regarding the overarching patent dispute is reached.

The abrupt halt in sales, just preceding the Christmas holiday, has raised concerns for Apple, citing potential "irreparable harm" if the ban remained in place for the anticipated two-week period before the ITC's response to their appeal.

Estimates suggest that this disruption may result in a holiday sales setback of approximately $300-$400 million for Apple. Nonetheless, within the broader context, this impact seems relatively contained for the tech giant, which is projected to rake in nearly $120 billion in sales this quarter, encompassing the lucrative holiday shopping season, as outlined by Wedbush Securities analyst Dan Ives.