Apple scores major win as ITC refuses to ban Apple Watch in the US

Apple has finally scored a big win in its long-running legal battle with health tech company Masimo over the Apple Watch's blood-oxygen sensor. On Friday, the US International Trade Commission refused to review an earlier ruling and closed the case. In essence, the Trade Commission rejected Masimo’s push to restrict or ban Apple Watches in the United States.

If you haven’t been following the story, this particular dispute has been going on for more than six years. It centers on a patent for light-based pulse oximetry that measures blood oxygen saturation levels. In late 2023, the ITC initially sided with Masimo and issued an exclusion order, forcing Apple to halt imports of Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 models that feature the technology.

To ensure it could continue selling its latest watches and keep them on store shelves, Apple decided to disable blood oxygen readings in the U.S. and began redesigning the pulse oximetry system.

Apple later rolled out an update that shifted most of the processing to a paired iPhone instead of the watch itself. With this change, U.S. Customs and Border Protection gave Apple the green light to restore blood oxygen measurements as a feature.

Apple’s clever workaround didn’t sit well with Masimo, which decided to appeal the move. Masimo argued that Apple still violated the original exclusion order, prompting another ITC investigation.

In March 2026, Administrative Law Judge Monica Bhattacharyya concluded that Apple’s redesign does not infringe Masimo’s patents. The commission was asked to review the decision and ultimately announced that it would not take up the matter.

Apple celebrated the outcome and thanked the ITC for its decision, in a statement to 9to5Mac, “We thank the ITC for its decision, which ensures we can continue to offer this important health feature to our users. For more than six years, Masimo has waged a relentless legal campaign against Apple, and nearly all of its claims have been rejected. We will always defend our innovations and remain focused on what we do best: delivering the best products and services in the world for our users.”