US ITC opposes Apple request to pause watch import ban

US International Trade Commission said on Tuesday that it has opposed Apple's request to pause a ban on the sale of the company's smartwatches after the Biden Administration declined to veto an earlier decision supporting the ban. Apple filed an emergency request earlier on Tuesday for the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit to halt the ban.

Apple is pushing back against the US International Trade Commission's (ITC) decision to ban imports of certain Apple Watches, following a complaint from medical monitoring technology company Masimo. The ban, effective December 26, stems from the use of patent-infringing technology for blood-oxygen-level monitoring in Apple Watches, a feature introduced in its Series 6 model in 2020. Despite Apple's appeal, the Joe Biden administration chose not to reverse the ban after thorough consultations, solidifying the ITC's decision. The ban specifically targets Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2, both of which incorporate the contested pulse oximeter technology.

In response to the ban, Apple temporarily halted sales of the affected smartwatches in the United States last week. However, the watches remain available through other retailers like Amazon, Best Buy, and Walmart. Notably, the ban does not impact the Apple Watch SE, a more affordable model, which will continue to be sold. The watches that were previously sold are also exempt from the ban. Apple expressed strong disagreement with the USITC decision, emphasising its commitment to returning the affected Apple Watch models to US customers promptly. The company has appealed the ban to the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in Washington. However, the ITC denied Apple's request to pause the ban during the appeal process.