Apple Watches face Christmastime ban if patent conflict isn’t resolved – By Christopher Hutton (Washington Examiner) / Oct 31, 2023
Apple could see one of its leading products barred from being imported into the United States sometime around Christmas unless the White House steps in or a patent dispute is resolved.
The U.S. International Trade Commission ruled last week that specific models of the Apple Watch breach patents held by the medical gadget designer Masimo. The company now has 60 days either to resolve the matter or face an outright ban. The current patent series, as they stand, only apply to Apple Watch models from the Series 6,7, 8, and 9 collections since they contain the medical trackers that appear to resemble Masimo’s patents.
If the matter is not resolved by Dec. 26, the company could see the latest versions of its products unavailable to U.S. users in 2024. American consumers will have till Christmas to get the latest Apple Watch, barring any legal changes.
