Several Apple Watch models are no longer facing an immediate threat of an import ban in the United States after a new preliminary decision from the US International Trade Commission (ITC). The ruling is the latest development in Apple’s long-running patent dispute with medical monitoring company Masimo, and for now, it appears to be a favorable outcome for Apple.
At the center of the case is blood oxygen monitoring, also known as pulse oximetry. In 2023, the ITC ordered a block on imports of certain Apple Watch models, including the Series 9 and Ultra 2, after determining they violated Masimo’s pulse-oximetry patents. That decision put major pressure on Apple to adjust how the feature worked in order to keep products available in the US market.
Apple’s response unfolded in stages. First, the company removed blood oxygen measurement functionality from the affected Apple Watch versions to avoid the import ban. Then, in August 2025, Apple introduced a more targeted workaround designed to steer clear of the patent claims. Instead of having the Apple Watch itself handle the blood oxygen measurement, Apple shifted the measurement process to the paired iPhone. The Apple Watch would no longer present blood oxygen results directly on the device, with readings displayed only inside the Apple Health app on the iPhone.
That change mattered because Masimo’s patents specifically referenced “user-worn devices,” and Apple’s workaround aimed to reduce the Apple Watch’s role in the process. US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) cleared Apple’s workaround, effectively allowing the modified approach to continue without triggering the import restriction. Masimo responded by suing the agency and also asked the ITC to take another look at whether Apple’s solution still violated the original import ban.
Now, the ITC’s preliminary ruling indicates Apple’s updated blood oxygen measurement workaround does not infringe Masimo’s patents. In practical terms, this reduces the likelihood of an immediate import halt for the Apple Watch models using that approach, offering Apple a clearer path to keep shipping devices into the US.
However, this is not necessarily the final word. The full ITC commission still must decide whether to uphold the preliminary ruling or overturn it. Until that final decision is made, the dispute remains active—but for the moment, Apple has gained an important win in the fight over Apple Watch blood oxygen monitoring and US import restrictions.
