In a recent update to the ongoing legal battle between Apple and Masimo, Apple has managed to secure a temporary pause on the ban imposed by the US International Trade Commission (ITC) on the sales and imports of the latest Apple Watches.
The US Court of Appeals has issued an interim stay of the ITC’s decision. The decision to allow interim sales is an important moment for Apple as it navigates legal challenges resulting from Masimo’s patent infringement allegations in pulse oximetry technology.
The sales of the Apple Watch 9 series and Ultra 2 will resume in Apple Stores starting today. It is said that online sales will resume by 3 PM ET and wider availability of the watches is expected by Saturday.
Apple is looking to overcome the issue with a software fix, but Masimo believes that its patents cover hardware and that a software fix would not work. As Apple navigates this legal landscape, the timeline for a resolution remains tied to the Customs ruling scheduled for mid-January.
Regarding the court order, an Apple spokeswoman told Bloomberg that:
Apple’s teams have worked tirelessly over many years to develop technology that empowers users with industry-leading health, wellness, and safety features and we are pleased the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit has stayed the exclusion order while it considers our request to stay the order pending our full appeal.