The United States International Trade Commission issued a partial import ban of Apple Watches on Thursday, declaring that Apple infringed on patient-monitoring company Masimo’s patents.
President Biden will review the commission’s decision over the next 60 days, and will have the opportunity to veto it. Presidential vetoes of import bans are uncommon, though former President Obama vetoed a ban of iPhones in 2013 after Apple lost its case to Samsung.
“Today’s ruling by the USITC sends a powerful message that even the world’s largest company is not above the law,” Masimo CEO Joe Kiani said in a statement. “This important determination is a strong validation of our efforts to hold Apple accountable for unlawfully misappropriating our patented technology.”
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