Apple has once again started selling its newest smartwatches, the Apple Watch 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2, in its United States stores, effective Thursday, with the expectation that both watches will be back on the company’s online store by Friday.
This development follows the acceptance of Apple’s appeal by a US federal court, requesting a temporary suspension of the ban on selling its latest watches in the company’s stores within the United States.
The ban was originally imposed in response to a lawsuit filed by Masimo, a medical technology company, with the International Trade Commission (ITC). The commission ruled that Apple had violated Masimo’s patents and intellectual property rights, particularly concerning the blood oxygen saturation measurement feature.
Initiated in 2020, Masimo’s lawsuit accused Apple of infringing on its intellectual property rights. Apple was additionally accused of manipulating its workforce by targeting 20 employees, who were allegedly part of teams that separated from Masimo after the initial stages in 2013.
Numerous meetings took place between the two companies, involving the exchange of substantial amounts of information. Masimo argued that Apple leveraged this information to develop technologies in its smartwatches, incorporating the blood oxygen saturation measurement feature.
This feature was first introduced in Apple’s smartwatch, the Apple Watch, starting from the sixth edition launched in 2020, continuing through its latest releases in September of the following year.
Apple had already implemented the International Trade Commission’s decision on December 21 for its online store and on December 26 in its physical stores in the United States.
Although the temporary suspension of the sales ban is in effect, Apple’s legal battle against Masimo is ongoing, as the temporary halt will remain until the appeal is thoroughly reviewed.
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