Apple Watch imports are now banned in the United States because the Biden Administration refused to veto the restriction.
The massive gadget ban, which took full effect on Tuesday, Dec. 26, restricts the iPhone maker from importing its latest smartwatch flagships.
These include the newest Apple Watch Series 9, which was released on Sept. 22, and the Apple Watch Ultra 2, which was launched on the same date.
Apple Watch Imports Now Banned in US as Biden Admin Refuses Vetoing It
According to Yahoo News' latest report, the official Apple Watch import ban is already in effect. When this restriction was first announced, the Biden Administration had 60 days to veto or allow the import ban.
On Tuesday, Dec. 26, the Office of the U.S. Trades Representatives confirmed that they would not intervene with the Apple Watch import restriction.
"Since 2005, the Office of the United States Trade Representative has been delegated the President's authority under Section 337 of the Trade Act of 1930 to review the ITC's decision for a 60-day period," said the office.
It explained that after careful consultations, Ambassador Tai decided that it would be best not to reverse the determination made by the U.S. International Trade Commission.
Because of this, ITC's decision became final, completely banning Apple Watch imports in the United States. But, The Verge reported that the American gadget maker will not back down easily.
After the Biden Administration didn't veto the smartwatch import ban, an Apple spokesperson (who wasn't named) confirmed that they are already making efforts to appeal the decision of ITC.
"We strongly disagree with the USITC decision and resulting exclusion order, and are taking all measures to return Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 to customers in the U.S. as soon as possible," explained the Apple official.
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What Apple Watch Buyers Need To Know
To clarify things, the latest Apple Watch import ban doesn't really prevent American consumers from having their most-awaited Watch Series 9 or Watch Ultra 2.
This is because the restriction only applies to official Apple stores in the United States, meaning that interested buyers can still purchase the latest Apple Watch models from other stores.
These include Target, Amazon, Best Buy, and other American retailers. As of writing, the faith in Apple's smartwatches in the United States is still unclear since experts don't know if the iPhone maker can encourage ITC to reverse its decision.
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