The U.S. has upheld a ban on Apple Watch imports, following a decision by the International Trade Commission. The ban is now in effect, and Apple had paused sales of the affected models ahead of this.
The United States Trade Representative announced that after careful consideration, it will not reverse the ITC’s determination, and the decision becomes final today, December 26, 2023.
Apple has denied the patent infringement claims made by Masimo, the health tech company behind the ban. The company has appealed the decision in court and continues to assert the health features of its devices.
Masimo has accused Apple of unlawfully using its patented technology and poaching employees to develop the sensors used in the Apple Watch Series 6 and later models.
Despite the ban in the U.S., the affected watches are still available for purchase in other countries. The Apple Watch SE, which does not use the same sensor technology, remains available for sale in the U.S.