A federal appeals court has issued a temporary halt on the import ban of Apple's newest smartwatches, following a legal battle with medical technology company Masimo over patent infringement. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit made the decision as Apple challenges the findings that it violated Masimo's patents.

The dispute stems from an October ruling by the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC), which determined that certain Apple Watches infringed on Masimo's blood oxygen sensor patents. The commission subsequently issued a ban on the import of Series 9 and Ultra 2 versions of the smartwatches, which incorporated the disputed technology. Apple voluntarily removed these models from store shelves earlier this month.

In response to the ITC's decision, Apple filed an appeal, seeking to overturn the ban. The company expressed disagreement with the ruling and the resulting exclusion order and vowed to take all necessary measures to make the affected smartwatches available to customers in the United States as soon as possible.

Apple's emergency request to halt the ban came after the White House chose not to intervene, and the ITC's decision became final on December 26. The federal appeals court's decision to temporarily suspend the ban provides Apple with an opportunity to present its case and challenge the ITC's findings.

The legal dispute between Apple and Masimo traces back to 2013 when the two companies held discussions regarding the use of Masimo's medical technology in Apple products. However, these negotiations broke down, and Apple later hired two executives and key engineers from Masimo. Masimo alleges that Apple recruited these employees to unlawfully replicate its technology.

Apple has vehemently denied the allegations, asserting that it consulted with multiple medical technology companies before developing its own version of the blood oxygen tool. The tech giant maintains that it has not violated any of Masimo's patents and will vigorously defend its position in court.

The outcome of the ongoing legal battle between Apple and Masimo will have significant implications for both companies and the broader smartwatch market. As the temporary halt on the import ban provides Apple with a reprieve, the judicial process will determine the validity of the patent infringement claims and decide the fate of the affected Apple smartwatches.

Neither Apple nor Masimo immediately responded to NPR's request for comment on the recent ruling. The federal appeals court will now carefully evaluate the arguments presented by both sides as it considers the future of Apple's smartwatches in light of the patent dispute.

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