US Trade Tribunal to Consider New Apple Watch Import Ban
The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) has initiated a new investigation to determine whether Apple’s redesigned Apple Watch models continue to infringe on patents held by Masimo, a medical technology company. This follows a previous ITC ban in 2023 that restricted imports of Apple’s Series 9 and Ultra 2 watches due to patent violations related to blood-oxygen measurement technology.
Background of the Dispute
In 2023, the ITC found that Apple’s Series 9 and Ultra 2 smartwatches infringed on Masimo’s patents concerning blood-oxygen monitoring. As a result, the commission imposed an import ban on these models. In response, Apple removed the blood-oxygen feature from its watches and later introduced an updated version, which received approval from U.S. Customs and Border Protection. However, Masimo has since filed a lawsuit against Customs over this approval and is pursuing multiple legal actions against Apple, including claims of patent infringement and trade-secret theft.
Recent Developments
On November 14, 2025, the ITC announced a new investigation to assess whether Apple’s redesigned watches still violate Masimo’s patents. The commission aims to conclude this investigation within six months. Concurrently, a federal jury in California awarded Masimo $634 million in damages from Apple for patent infringement. The jury determined that features in the Apple Watch, such as workout mode and heart rate notifications, infringed upon Masimo’s intellectual property. Apple has expressed disagreement with the verdict and plans to appeal, arguing that the patent in question expired in 2022 and pertains to older monitoring technology.
Ongoing Legal Battles
The legal conflict between Apple and Masimo is multifaceted. Masimo has accused Apple of hiring its employees to misappropriate pulse-oximetry technology. In 2023, a trade-secret case ended in a mistrial after the jury failed to reach a unanimous verdict. Additionally, Apple is challenging the ITC’s import ban in a federal appeals court and previously secured a minor $250 judgment in a countersuit over design patents. The outcome of the current ITC investigation and the various legal proceedings will significantly impact the availability and features of Apple Watch models in the U.S. market.
