In the latest developments ahead of the US Apple Watch ban taking effect later this week, the White House has shared that it is keeping a close eye on the situation. Meanwhile, Masimo’s CEO shared that the company is open to settling with Apple to resolve the matter but noted, “It takes two to tango.”
The two pieces of news come from Bloomberg. As we detailed in our initial coverage, the White House is involved in the situation as President Biden can veto the ITC ruling on the Apple Watch case.
White House watches closely
The window for the President to intervene closes on December 25. White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre shared a statement with Bloomberg today about where the White House stands, saying, “The top US trade official, Katherine Tai, is ‘carefully considering all of the factors in this case.'”
Giving more detail, Jean-Pierre said the administration does not want to “get ahead of any decisions that may come” from the ITC. However, Jean-Pierre also noted Katherine Tai can “decide the outcome of the case.”
Masimo open to dancing with Apple
More news today around the Apple Watch ban was Masimo CEO Joe Kiani talking with Bloomberg. When asked if he was open to a settlement with Apple, he responded that the “short answer is yes.”
Expanding on his position, Kiani said that Apple hasn’t reached out to Masimo and that “It takes two to tango.” He went further, saying, “These guys have been caught with their hands in the cookie jar.”
Kiani did not share any thoughts about how much Apple would need to pay Masimo in a potential settlement to resolve the issue.
Giving his perspective about Apple’s move to pull its Series 9 and Ultra 2 wearables from sale just before Christmas, Kiani said the decision is a “stunt” intended to “pressure the Biden administration to veto the order.”
He went on to say the patent infringement was not accidental:
“This is not an accidental infringement — this is a deliberate taking of our intellectual property,” Kiani said. “I am glad the world can now see we are the true inventors and creators of these technologies.”
Apple previously shared its opposing stance on the matter with 9to5Mac:
Apple’s teams work tirelessly to create products and services that empower users with industry-leading health, wellness, and safety features. Apple strongly disagrees with the order and is pursuing a range of legal and technical options to ensure that Apple Watch is available to customers.
To get all caught up on the situation, read our full coverage:
- Apple to halt Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 sales in the US this week
- 2023 Apple Watch models could yet remain on sale – four potential solutions
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