Apple is currently appealing a trade ruling in the U.S. that has banned some of its latest Apple Watch models. 

This ruling was made due to a patent dispute with Masimo, a medical technology company. 

Apple filed an appeal with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit last Friday. 

They aim to overturn the December 2021 U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) decision. 

The ITC had decided to block the imports of the Apple Watch Series 8, Ultra, and newer models that feature blood oxygen monitoring capabilities.

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• Apple appeals U.S. import ban on latest Apple Watch models over Masimo patent dispute.

• The tech giant claims the trade ruling had “defective” findings on Masimo’s pulse oximetry patents.

• The bitter legal battle could decide Apple’s ability to offer advanced health monitoring in wearables.

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Apple Fights Ban on Apple Watch Imports in Masimo Patent Battle

Apple Claims ITC Made “Defective” Patent Rulings 

In its appeal brief, Apple argued the ITC’s import ban was based on “a series of substantively defective patent rulings” regarding Masimo’s pulse oximetry patents. 

Pulse oximetry is the technology used to measure blood oxygen levels non-invasively.

Apple contends Masimo failed to demonstrate it was actively producing competing products in the U.S. that would warrant an exclusion order under trade laws. 

The iPhone maker says the only Masimo wearable covered by the patents was “purely hypothetical” when Masimo originally filed its ITC complaint in 2021.

Long-Running Legal Battle Over Health Monitoring Tech

The legal battle dates back years, with Masimo accusing Apple of poaching its employees and misappropriating trade secrets after the companies had discussed collaborating on health monitoring technologies.

Apple first added pulse oximetry to the Apple Watch with the Series 6 in 2020. 

Masimo promptly filed patent infringement lawsuits, alleging Apple’s blood oxygen measurement infringed its patented inventions.

The ITC initially sided with Masimo in its final determination in December 2022, banning imports of designated Apple Watch models that violated Masimo’s rights.

Ban Temporarily Paused But Now Reinstated

While the import ban was briefly paused in late December after Apple won an emergency order from the Federal Circuit appeals court, the ban went back into effect in January.  

This forced Apple to release a software update disabling blood oxygen measurement on any Apple Watch sold in the U.S. while the appeal is pending – a process Apple says could take over a year.

However, in January, U.S. customs officials determined that redesigned Apple Watch versions did not violate Masimo’s patents and were permitted for import.

Apple Disputes Patent Validity and Infringement Claims

In its Federal Circuit appeal, Apple is challenging the validity of Masimo’s patents entirely, claiming they should be invalidated. 

Apple also asserts that its Apple Watch pulse oximetry does not infringe on its patents.

The legal battle has significant implications for Apple’s ability to integrate advanced health monitoring capabilities into its massively popular wearable devices. 

A final ruling from the appeals court could take months.