Federal court pauses Apple Watch import ban

A federal appeals court on Wednesday temporarily blocked enforcement of an International Trade Commission (ITC) order barring Apple from selling its latest Apple Watch models in the United States.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit granted Apple an interim stay while it considers granting the iPhone maker a longer-term stay as it appeals the ITC’s decision.

Apple filed an emergency motion with the appeals court Tuesday after the import ban officially went into effect.

The tech giant had pulled the Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 from stores shortly before Christmas in preparation for the ban. The Biden administration, which had 60 days to weigh in on the decision, said Tuesday it would not intervene.

Apple immediately appealed, arguing it would suffer “irreparable harm” and urging the court to “at a minimum” grant a stay long enough for U.S. Customs and Border Protection to decide whether a redesigned version of the Apple Watches falls outside the ITC’s decision.

The import ban stems from a yearslong patent dispute between Apple and medical technology company Masimo, which has accused the iPhone maker of poaching employees and stealing trade secrets related to the light-based technology for measuring blood-oxygen levels

Masimo initially sued Apple for patent infringement at the ITC in 2021. In January, an ITC judge sided with Masimo, a decision that was later upheld by the full commission in October.
The medical device maker also sued Apple in federal court in 2020, but the case ended in a mistrial in May. Apple countersued Masimo in 2022, accusing the company of copying its technology.

Masimo initially sued Apple for patent infringement at the ITC in 2021. In January, an ITC judge sided with Masimo, a decision that was later upheld by the full commission in October.

The medical device maker also sued Apple in federal court in 2020, but the case ended in a mistrial in May. Apple countersued Masimo in 2022, accusing the company of copying its technology.

Updated at 2:38 p.m.