It follows the White House’s decision not to reverse the import and sales restriction that went into force this week on the Series 9 and Ultra 2 timepieces.

The US International Trade Commission intervened on behalf of gadget manufacturer Masimo, which claims Apple is stealing its intellectual property and employees.

According to Apple, it “strongly disagrees” with the decision.

Apple “pre-emptively” banned the devices from US retailers and its website earlier this month. There has been no impact on sales elsewhere.

The president, who has the authority to veto the decision, has sixty days to examine the October order from the US International Trade Commission (USITC). Christmas Day marked the end of that review session.

Following “careful consultations,” the US Trade Representative Ambassador Katherine Tai’s office said on Tuesday that it has made the decision not to overturn the USITC’s ruling.

In order for Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to assess whether the updated models of Apple’s watches—which do not have the contested technology—violate Masimo’s patents, Apple had requested a postponement of the ban.

The CBP is expected to make a determination on January 12, as per an Apple representative.

In October, the USITC determined that Apple had violated two patents held by Masimo Corporation, a manufacturer of medical devices.

The California-based business claimed that Apple had stolen their technology to assess blood oxygen levels and was also stealing important employees.

The contentious blood oxygen feature has been a part of the majority of Apple Watch models since 2020. The less expensive SE model doesn’t. The prohibition will not also apply to watches that have already been sold.