Apple Appeals US Ban on Apple Watch Blood-Oxygen Tech

Apple is vigorously appealing a 2023 ruling by the US International Trade Commission (ITC) that found the company infringed on patents held by medical device maker Masimo, leading to a ban on Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 imports in the US due to pulse oximetry technology use. Apple argues that the ban has unfairly deprived millions of users of the blood-oxygen monitoring feature, noting that Masimo's competing wearable was still in prototype stages when the lawsuit was filed in 2021. Masimo claims Apple stole its technology after failed collaboration talks and hired its staff, asserting that Apple violated its intellectual property before Masimo released its own smartwatch in 2022. During the July 2025 appeal, Apple's attorney contended that patent disputes over prototypes should not justify removing a flagship product from the market, while Masimo's legal team accused Apple of trying to rewrite the law. The US Court of Appeals is reviewing whether Masimo's subsequent product launch justifies the ITC’s ruling; meanwhile, Apple has complied by disabling the blood-oxygen feature on newly sold watches in the US. The court's decision on Apple's appeal will determine whether the feature can be restored and the ban lifted.