Thinking about buying an Apple Watch? Hurry. Apple is facing a possible ban on the importation of its popular smartwatch product in the U.S. due to a patent dispute.

This is not the first time Apple has faced such a scenario, and while it is unlikely that all Apple Watches will be banned outright in the US, the Cupertino-based giant is taking the threat seriously. Here's everything you need to know about the possibility of an Apple Watch ban in the US.

Just last week, the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) upheld a judge's ruling in January that Apple infringed a patent held by medical technology company Masimo with the 2020 launch of the Apple Watch Series 6 (now discontinued). [The technology allows users to quickly and easily monitor blood oxygen levels, one of the device's key wellness-related selling points.

The Masimos lawsuit was filed in 2021, shortly after the Series 6 device hit the market. The case eventually went to trial before a federal judge in May, but ended in a mistrial.

For what it's worth, Apple also filed a separate lawsuit against Masimo for infringing on its pulse oximeter technology. However, that lawsuit is not as advanced as Masimo's.

So what happens next: the ITC's ruling will be sent to President Joe Biden, who could veto the ban based on executive concerns within 60 days. However, there is little precedent for the president to do so, and the case would ultimately be heard by the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.

It is highly unlikely that this will happen. Patent disputes are nothing new in the consumer technology world. And if things go south in the Court of Appeals, Apple still has many options.

One is to settle with Masimo. With both companies accusing each other of stealing their technology, some sort of agreement could be reached. There is another possibility: Apple finds a way to circumvent the pending patents with some sort of firmware update.

Also, remember that despite the ITC ruling, there is no word on which Apple Watches might be affected. Of course, if that changes, we will be sure to let you know.

Apple also faces the possibility of another significant ban due to another patent dispute with medical technology company AliveCor over heart rate monitoring technology. For now, the ban is on hold as the ITC further investigates AliveCor's claims.