Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 are set to go on sale on Thursday, January 18, on the company’s website at 6:00 a.m. (PT), without the blood-oxygen monitoring feature as the company is embroiled in a legal contention with the medical technology company, Masimo.
The company has been prohibited from selling the models after Wednesday’s (January 17) ruling by the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. The iPhone maker and Masimo are fighting a legal battle over the patents of the technological feature, which can reportedly take over a year to be resolved.
ITC’s Initial Ruling
Apple first withdrew the models from the market in December, following the US International Trade Commission (ITC)’s ruling in late October which claimed that the former’s blood-oxygen sensor had infringed on Masimo’s patents. However, the ban was eventually lifted in compliance with the former company’s request and the sale of the watches resumed. However, January 17’s ruling has upheld the ban on the sale and import of the Apple watches that include the blood-oxygen monitoring feature. The company will be allowed to import watches that have undergone a redesign and are in line with ITC’s restrictions.
Southern California-based company Masimo, has stated that Apple stole the technology behind the pulse oximetry by hiring some of the former’s employees. Apple on the other hand has filed a countersuit, accusing Masimo of patent infringement and labelling its legal move as clever strategy to promote its own watch.
Masimo CEO Joe Kiani, regards the ruling as a significant precedent which will ensure the protection of intellectual property rights as well as hold large corporations accountable for flouting the same.
