Apple Inc (NASDAQ:AAPL, ETR:APC) has removed the blood oxygen monitoring feature on its latest range of smartwatches to avoid a US import ban.
US Customs and Border Protection decided that the Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 were no longer subject to an import ban after the tech company removed the pulse oximeter feature from the products.
The US International Trade Commission (ITC) placed the ban on the Apple products towards the end of 2023 after Masimo, the medical technology company, claimed the watches infringed on two of its patents.
Sale of the products was also restricted, with the ruling going into effect on Boxing Day, but a day later Apple was able to convince the courts to pause the ban.
Apple had halted the sale of the new range of watches before Christmas and the ITC’s decision, but the products were still on sale at retailers such as Best Buy and Amazon.
Masimo accused Apple of stealing its pulse oximetry technology, which is found in its watches.
The Californian tech giant argued Masimo’s legal actions were a “manoeuvre to clear a path” ahead of a planned release for its own smartwatch.