The return of the feature will rely entirely on the outcome of the ongoing patent dispute. The dispute between Apple and medical technology company Masimo remains unresolved, and the affected Apple watches are now back to being banned after several returns.
The companies had no immediate comment.
The U.S. International Trade Commission had issued the import ban Feb. 10 based on what it called an “extraordinary” effort by SK Innovation to destroy evidence in a trade-secret case lodged by fellow South Korean rival LG Chem Ltd.’s LG Energy Solution Co. unit.
The ITC did carve out time to let SK Innovation import components for batteries to be assembled in Georgia for Ford and Volkswagen vehicles.
The ban was scheduled to take effect April 11, unless President Joe Biden overturned it on public policy grounds. South Korea government officials and Biden administration pushed the companies to reach an agreement instead.