White House lets ban on Apple Watches stand as deadline passes
The White House Declines to Veto Import Ban on Latest Apple Watch
The White House has made the decision not to veto a government ban on the imports of the newest version of the Apple Watch, significantly limiting its availability. The ban, imposed by the U.S. International Trade Commission, will go into effect on Tuesday, affecting both the Apple Watch 9 and the Apple Watch Ultra 2. Despite consultations, U.S. trade representative Katherine Tai has chosen not to reverse the ban, leaving Apple unable to bring in additional models of the devices and severely restricting the company’s ability to sell new watches in the United States.
Apple’s Next Move: Appealing the Import Ban
Apple’s next course of action will be to appeal the import ban in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in Washington, D.C. Unfortunately, the ITC has denied Apple’s request to pause the ban during the appeal process.
Last week, Apple announced that it would temporarily halt the sales of the Series 9 and the Ultra 2 in anticipation of the ITC ban. This ban stems from a patent dispute between Apple and medical technology company Masimo regarding Apple’s implementation of a blood oxygen tracker in the device. The commission ultimately ruled in favor of Masimo, leading to the ban.
Implications for Apple Watch Users
It’s important to note that the current patents only apply to blood oxygen trackers in Series 6, 7, 8, and 9 of Apple Watches, as well as the Ultra models. The Apple Watch SE, which does not have the tracker, will still be available for purchase.
Additionally, an internal memo reveals that users who bring their Apple Watches into Apple Stores will be unable to have them replaced or repaired due to the import ban.
What impact will the import ban have on current Apple Watch users in terms of device replacements and repairs at Apple Stores
The decision by the White House not to veto the import ban on the latest Apple Watch models has significant implications for both the company and its customers. The ban, enacted by the U.S. International Trade Commission, will go into effect in the coming days and will severely limit the availability of the Apple Watch 9 and the Apple Watch Ultra 2 in the United States.
Despite efforts by Apple to reverse the ban through consultations with U.S. trade representative Katherine Tai, the decision was made to uphold the ban. This means that Apple will be unable to import additional models of the affected devices, greatly restricting the company’s ability to sell the latest watches in the U.S.
Apple’s next move in response to the import ban will be to appeal the decision in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in Washington, D.C. However, the ITC has rejected Apple’s request to temporarily halt the ban during the appeal process, further complicating the situation for the tech giant.
The ban itself stems from a patent dispute between Apple and medical technology company Masimo regarding Apple’s implementation of a blood oxygen tracker in their devices. After ruling in favor of Masimo, the commission decided to impose the import ban, leading to the current situation.
It’s important to note that the patent dispute only applies to the Series 6, 7, 8, and 9 of Apple Watches, as well as the Ultra models, all of which feature the blood oxygen tracker. The Apple Watch SE, which does not include this feature, will still be available for purchase.
In addition to the impact on Apple’s business, there are also implications for current Apple Watch users. An internal memo reveals that customers who bring their devices to Apple Stores for replacements or repairs will be unable to have these services performed due to the import ban.
As the appeal process unfolds in the coming months, both Apple and its customers will be closely following the outcome in hopes of a resolution that allows for the continued availability and support of the affected Apple Watch models.
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