(NewsNation) — Apple will be able to continue selling two of its newest Apple Watch models after a federal court on Wednesday temporarily halted an import ban on the products.
The import ban took effect earlier this week in a dispute over a patent. The Biden administration had said it would not intervene in the case.
Now, a legal process will continue.
Here’s a timeline of what’s happened in the case:
Oct.26
The International Trade Commission, a federal agency, orders the halt to block Apple from using specific technologies underpinning a blood-oxygen measurement system in its Series 9 and Ultra 2 watches.
The agency ruled a pulse oximeter feature in some models, which measures blood oxygen levels, infringed on medical company Masimo’s pulse-oximeter technology.
Dec. 21
Apple cuts off online sales of the watches just a week before the Christmas holiday. The White House had 60 days from Oct. 26 to review the ITC order, but Apple said it would stop sales anyway to comply with the order.
Previously purchased Apple Watches equipped with the blood-oxygen monitoring system aren’t affected by the ITC order.
Dec. 26
United States Trade Representative Katherine Tai said she would let the ITC order stand.
“After careful consultations, Ambassador Tai decided not to reverse the ITC’s determination,” the office of the U.S. Trade representative said, meaning that the ITC decision officially went into effect.
On the same day, Apple filed an emergency motion seeking court permission to continue sales of the Watch models while the appeals process played out.
Dec. 27
A federal court temporarily lifts the ITC’s ban. The court’s action will allow sales of the two Apple Watch models while it considers whether to continue allowing sales while it hears Apple’s appeal.
As of 5:30 p.m. ET Wednesday, the models were not available to purchase on Apple’s website.
The Associated Press and NewsNation producer Stephanie Whiteside contributed to this report.
