US Commission Bans The Latest Apple Watches

Date: December 27, 2023

Apple’s latest wearable introductions, Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2, have been officially banned from sale in the US due to tech infringement allegations.

Apple has been at the cornerstone of introducing the most refined versions of all new technologies. But its latest introduction, the Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2, are facing backlash from the federal government after another company alleged it stole their technology. After a long fight over who’s right, the US Commission banned the sales of both watches from all stores and websites functional under the US jurisdiction. The company, however, challenged the commission’s decision through a Veto call by President Joe Biden, which was rejected concretely.

The products will now be removed from the shelves on December 24th across all Apple outlets and from the website on December 21st. The Office of US Trade Representative Katherine Tai said the agency “decided not to reverse the ITC’s [International Trade Commission] determination” after “careful consideration.”

An unnamed Apple spokesperson confirmed it’s appealing the ITC decision and said: “We strongly disagree with the USITC decision and resulting exclusion order, and are taking all measures to return Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 to customers in the U.S. as soon as possible.”

Who’s The Original Owner?

The main reason behind this ban is the blood oxygen saturation technology. The ITC issued the order after finding out that the technology was patented by another company known as Masimo. It has also ordered Apple to stop the sales of any former products that used this technology in its devices. The ban is effective only in the US, which means that users can still buy the watches from any online global store outside of the US jurisdiction or any other outlet outside the US. 

Masimo’s allegation has resulted in an immediate interim stay through an emergency motion by the US Commission. The court is still processing the relevant documents for concrete proof from Masimo. ITC has also suggested Apple settle the case outside of court with Masimo to mitigate the risks of hefty fraud penalties and save its reputation in the global marketplace.

Apple’s reputation has always surpassed consumer expectations, and this move can destroy years of hard work thousands of workers put into making and selling these devices. The final verdict is yet to come, and higher appeals are also available for Apple if it chooses to proceed with the lawsuit.