Apple smartwatches ads are displayed as customers take a look at smartwatch accessories at the Apple store in New York, U.S., December 26, 2023.
Eduardo Munoz | Reuters
Apple will again be barred from selling watches with blood oxygen sensors beginning Thursday, a federal appeals court said Wednesday.
The ban could complicate Apple’s operations and weigh on its sales.
The decision is a blow to Apple, which was previously forced to remove the latest Apple Watches from its U.S. stores for several days in December. Apple may be forced to remove a blood oxygen sensor feature on its latest devices in order to keep the smartwatches on the U.S. market.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit denied a motion from Apple and lifted an interim stay which had previously allowed sales of the Apple Watch 9 to resume.
“We reach no conclusion on the merits of the appeal,” the court said.
The ban stems from an intellectual property dispute with Masimo, a medical device company. In October, the International Trade Commission found that Apple’s blood oxygen sensors had infringed on Masimo’s intellectual property.
Masimo had alleged that Apple had poached several of its top executives and copied its technology after declining a partnership.
This is breaking news. Please check back for updates.
