Apple has filed an urgent request to the court seeking permission to resume sales of its two most popular watches during an ongoing patent dispute. The company halted sales just before Christmas but now fears “irreparable harm” if the injunction is not lifted during the two-week response period provided by the US International Trade Commission. It is estimated that the sales halt has cost Apple around $300-400 million during the holiday season. However, this setback is relatively insignificant compared to the projected revenue of nearly $120 billion for the tech giant this quarter.
The patent dispute erupted after the US International Trade Commission ruled that Apple had infringed on two patents owned by American companies, Masimo Corp. and Cercacor Laboratories. Although the Commission’s decision became final on Tuesday after a two-month review, Apple had already withdrawn the watches from stores and online platforms.
After careful consideration, United States Trade Representative Katherine Tai chose not to overturn the Commission’s decision. This means that the Commission’s decision takes effect immediately.
The online sales of Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 were suspended in the United States following the Commission’s rejection of their attempt to circumvent the October ban. This ban prevented Apple from using certain technologies related to blood oxygen level measurement on the watches. The ban does not apply to watches purchased before the Commission’s decision.
Apple argues that the Commission’s decision contains factual errors and that Masimo does not sell a significant amount of competing products in the US market. Therefore, Apple believes that Masimo will suffer no harm if the ban is lifted.
Despite the patent dispute, shares of Apple Inc. only slightly declined on Tuesday, even as the technology sector had a successful day on the stock market.
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FAQ:
What is a patent dispute?
A patent dispute is a legal conflict related to intellectual property rights, in which two parties dispute the exclusive rights to use an invention, design, trademark, or other protected subject matter.
Who is the United States Trade Representative?
The United States Trade Representative (USTR) is an agency responsible for negotiating and implementing US trade policy. It is a high-level agency responsible for representing US trade interests on the international stage.
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