Apple avoids a second import ban on redesigned smartwatches in fresh ITC ruling
A new US International Trade Commission decision blocks a renewed import ban threat over Apple Watch blood-oxygen monitoring, though Masimo still has legal options.
Apple has won another court setback in its long-running smartwatch patent fight, with the US International Trade Commission declining to reinstate an import ban over redesigned Apple Watches.
The focus is the Apple Watch’s blood-oxygen monitoring feature—an area that has become the center of the dispute with Masimo. the medical technology company that has challenged Apple’s technology through multiple rounds of litigation.. Misryoum notes that the latest ITC decision keeps the redesigned watches on sale and effectively ends the renewed import-ban attempt at this stage.
At the heart of the ruling is the ITC’s choice not to revive a ban and instead terminate the case. referring to an earlier preliminary ruling from one of its judges in March.. That preliminary decision found that the redesigned smartwatches do not infringe on Masimo’s patents.. In practical terms. that means Apple can continue selling those models with the reworked blood-oxygen functionality that it implemented after earlier adverse findings.
The dispute stretches back to 2021, when Masimo first sought an import ban aimed at Apple Watches.. Misryoum reports that the ITC previously determined Apple violated Masimo’s patents. leading to an import ban and pushing Apple to change the blood-oxygen measurement approach in certain watch models.. But Masimo later went back to the ITC. arguing that Apple’s updated version still infringed—prompting this second attempt to block imports.
For Apple. this is a significant moment of stability: import bans don’t just affect one shipment—they can disrupt retail supply chains and product momentum.. For customers. the effect is more subtle but real—devices can remain available without the risk of sudden sales interruptions linked to legal timelines.. And for the broader wearable market. the outcome is another signal that patent strategy increasingly shapes how consumer devices get built. verified. and rolled out.
From Masimo’s side, the ruling is not the end of the fight.. Even though Misryoum indicates the ITC rejected the request to reinstate an import ban. Masimo still has the ability to appeal the decision to the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.. That matters because appellate courts can re-examine aspects of how patent claims are interpreted, even when an agency decision stands.
There’s also a separate case running in parallel that changes the stakes.. In November, a federal jury sided with Masimo and ordered Apple to pay $634 million in a different patent infringement dispute.. In other words. while the ITC ruling reduces immediate sales pressure on redesigned models. financial and legal pressure may still be building through other parts of the litigation landscape.
Beyond the courtroom. this dispute reflects a wider trend in medical-adjacent consumer tech: blood-oxygen monitoring sits at the intersection of health sensing and intellectual property tied to medical measurement methods.. As smartwatch makers push further into health features. Misryoum expects disputes like this to recur—not just between major brands. but also between consumer electronics companies and specialized medical technology firms.
For now. the most immediate takeaway is straightforward for Apple’s smartwatch roadmap: the company has avoided a fresh import ban tied to its redesigned blood-oxygen monitoring approach.. The longer-term story. however. will depend on whether the appeal proceeds and how the related financial case continues to unfold. keeping this high-stakes tech-and-patents battle in the spotlight.
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