Masimo is once again trying to ban the blood oxygen measurement feature on the Apple Watch. Apple has only recently been allowed to use it again after being banned in 2023 due to patent infringement, MacRumors reports.
The medical technology company has filed a lawsuit against U.S. Customs and Border Protection, which previously allowed Apple to reinstate the feature to its smartwatches in a slightly modified form. Masimo is seeking a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction to overturn the Customs decision.
"CBP's function is to enforce ITC exclusion orders, not to create loopholes that render them ineffective," Masimo said in a statement.
In its complaint, Masimo alleges that Customs acted illegally by ruling that Apple could import watches with pulse oximetry technology. The company says that while the decision was made on August 1, it only learned of it through Apple's August 14 statement.
The medical company says Customs and Border Protection overstepped its authority by allowing Apple to circumvent the ban. Apple moved the blood oxygen measurement feature from the Apple Watch to the iPhone, even though the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) considers the technology to be an infringement of Masimo patents.
Recall that in 2023, Masimo obtained a temporary ban on the sale of Apple watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 smartwatches due to patent infringement. The Cupertino company returned the devices to the market for a while before completely removing the blood oxygen measurement function in January 2024.