Apple on Tuesday, filed an appeal against a ruling that prohibits the import of its watches, prompted by a complaint from medical monitoring technology company Masimo.
The decision comes after the Biden administration opted not to veto the ruling made by a government tribunal.
“We strongly disagree with the USITC decision and resulting exclusion order, and are taking all measures to return Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 to customers in the U.S. as soon as possible,” Apple said in a statement on Tuesday.
The technology giant had also recently submitted an urgent plea on Tuesday to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, seeking to suspend the enforcement of a recent ban.
The company has requested the Federal Circuit to delay the ban temporarily, at least until the U.S. Customs and Border Protection determines if Apple’s redesigned watch models infringe on Masimo’s patent rights.
Additionally, Apple is asking for the ban to be put on hold while the court reviews its appeal. Apple has indicated that the customs office is expected to announce its decision by January 12.
Masimo has levelled allegations against Apple, accusing the tech company of poaching its employees, misappropriating its pulse oximetry technology, and then integrating this technology into the widely popular Apple Watch series.
The order from the U.S. International Trade Commission specifically prohibits the import and sale of Apple Watches that incorporate this blood-oxygen level reading technology.
Apple first introduced the pulse oximeter feature in its smartwatch line with the Series 6 model, launched in 2020. Despite careful deliberation and consultations, U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai chose not to overturn the ban.
Consequently, the ITC’s decision was finalized on December 26, as confirmed by the office of the Trade Representative.
In its third-quarter earnings report for 2023, Apple disclosed that its wearables, home, and accessories division, which encompasses products like the Apple Watch and AirPods earbuds, generated revenue of $8.28 billion.
