The United States have recently imposed an import ban on certain Apple Watches that may infringe on patents from Pulse Reader company. The patented Pulse Reader technology allows users to monitor their heart rate through optical monitoring by an infrared LED-transmitter. It further transmits data to the monitoring device, such as heart rate, stroke volume, and other cardiac information.
Although the US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) currently has placed the embargo, it is not the only country taking such action. A few other countries have also imposed restrictions on such imports, this includes Canada, Japan, and Europe.
As of now, Apple has reportedly stopped any plans to accept foreign orders for the Apple Watch with the Pulse Reader technology. The nations where this ban has been imposed include Mexico, Israel, the Philippines, Colombia, and Spain.
The Pulse Reader technology has been in the market for a while and is common among fitness trackers and smart watches. With the Pulse Reader, users can measure their heart rate while exercising, an invaluable tool, as it can be used to better understand and adjust your exercise regime to get the best results.
The potential patent infringement has triggered an investigation of Apple’s business practices in importing such products. Generally, when a company is found infringing on patents, it is required to pay damages or even cease importing.
For now, it seems that the ban on certain Apple Watches will remain in place. Apple is likely to make the necessary changes to avoid any further issues with the law, so that the products they import are not connected to any possible patent infringement.