Biden admin declines to veto ban on certain Apple Watch imports

The Biden administration declined to veto the ban on certain Apple Watch imports into the U.S., letting the ban officially take effect Tuesday.

On Oct. 26, the International Trade Commission (ITC) upheld a January ruling that sided with the medical technology company Masimo, which in 2021 sued Apple for patent infringement at the ITC over the Apple Watch Series 6.

Masimo accused the tech giant of poaching employees and stealing trade secrets related to the light-based technology for measuring blood-oxygen levels, which was first featured in the Apple Watch Series 6 smartwatch.

Masimo originally sued Apple in federal court in 2020, but the case ended in a mistrial in May. Apple also counter-sued Masimo, accusing the company of copying its technology.