A United States Appeals Court has recently halted a New York judge’s ruling, which would have imposed a ban on sales of the Apple Watch in the United States. This ruling stems from a lawsuit initiated by New York’s district attorney, Cyrus Vance Jr., over a patent issue involving the popular smartwatch.
The controversy began when Munich-based firm, Pebble Technology, alleged that its patent for wireless technology was being infringed upon by Apple Watch. The German company filed a complaint against Apple in November 2016, claiming that Apple’s smartwatches illegally built on its wireless technology.
At the time, Apple argued that its technology was developed independently. The case then made its way to the United States District Court for the Northern District of New York, where Judge Valerie Caproni ruled in favor of Pebble Technology, forcing Apple to stop selling the Apple Watch in the United States as of June.
Apple filed an appeal against this ruling, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit finally got to hear the case. The Court’s decision provides relief to the technology giant, as it puts an end to a potentially paralyzing ban on the Apple Watch. Though the Court acknowledged that Pebble Technology was wronged, it found that a sales ban was not the right remedy.
The Court said a ban would not put an end to Apple’s “unlawful conduct,” which means that a sales ban would do nothing to prevent any further infringement of Pebble Technology’s patent. Furthermore, the Court noted that any damages that Pebble Technology suffered could be determined and awarded without the need for a sales ban.
The Appeals Court’s decision means that Apple Watches can still be sold in the United States. Whether or not Pebble Technology will receive any damages for the patent infringement remains to be seen. For now, Apple and Pebble Technology will continue to fight it out in the courts, while consumers can still enjoy the vast array of smartwatches available to them.
