#2 Legal Files: Week Ending 13 October 2026
This is a weekly roundup of court cases, rulings and regulatory actions involving the sports watch, ring and fitness platform companies this site covers. Each entry states who is involved, what is alleged or decided, where the matter stands and what it could mean for athletes. Allegations are reported as allegations.
Other sites push out an alert for every case and ruling as it happens. This roundup gathers the week into a single read and keeps your inbox clear. The weekly Deep Dive Digest email covers the wider sports technology news for those who want it.
Also in the Deep Dive series: Regulatory Filing, Trademark & Patent Filing, Fix Files, Feature Files and the Deep Dive Digest.
It was a quiet week for new litigation involving the companies this site follows. The one development of note came from the US International Trade Commission, where Samsung’s import ban case against Oura became narrower after Samsung withdrew every asserted claim of one of its four patents.
Samsung v Oura: Samsung withdraws one of four patents from its trade commission case
On 7 October 2026 the US International Trade Commission decided not to review an initial determination in investigation 337-TA-1478, titled Certain Wearable Devices. The complainants are Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. and Samsung Electronics America, Inc.; the respondents are Ouraring, Inc. and Ōura Health Oy. The initial determination, Order No. 17 issued by the administrative law judge on 9 September 2026, granted Samsung’s unopposed motion to withdraw all asserted claims of US Patent No. 10,945,677. The Commission’s decision not to review it makes that partial termination final.
The Commission instituted the investigation on 13 January 2026 on four Samsung patents: US Patent Nos. 10,642,359, 10,945,677, 10,231,675 and 10,978,789. An earlier order, Order No. 12, had already removed a number of claims from the ‘359, ‘675, ‘789 and ‘677 patents. The ‘359, ‘675 and ‘789 patents remain in the case, and the notice does not give a hearing date or a target date. The investigation sits alongside Oura’s own patent actions against Samsung’s Galaxy Ring, and the two companies are also in dispute in the federal courts in Texas.
Samsung is seeking orders under Section 337 that could, if it succeeds, restrict imports of Oura products into the United States. Fewer patents in play reduces the number of routes to such an order, though three patents remain and any outcome is some way off. Owners and buyers of Oura and Galaxy Ring devices may find the more consequential decisions arrive later in this investigation and in Oura’s parallel cases.
Evidence: Confirmed in the court record. Source: US International Trade Commission, usitc.gov
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Last Updated on 13 October 2026 by tfk the5krunner
Small things I always use
- Garmin 90-degree charging adapter: Charges your Garmin from any USB-C cable. Essential when travelling. I use one.
- Body Glide: The blue anti-chafe stick swimmers and runners carry. I use it.
- Speedo earplugs: Fewer ear infections and no cold-water dizziness. I use them.
- Dryrobe Advance: My winter changing robe for open-water swims. I use one. A cheaper option is the AONYIYI changing robe.
- Maurten: Race fuel that stays easy on the stomach. I use them.
- Garmin charging puck: The quickest way to top up before a session. I use one.
- Injinji: Toe socks that stop rubbing, so you run more. I use them.
- Ultimate toe protectors: Stop black toenails on long runs. They work. I use them.
- Compressport R2 v2 calf sleeves: My calf sleeves of choice. I use them.
- Cellucor C4: My pre-workout before hard sessions.
- TPU tubes: Schwalbe Aerothan, Tubolito and Pirelli SmarTube. Light, tiny spares. I use all three.
- G8 insoles: Adjustable insoles that are good. I use them.
- Cycplus Cube: A 97g electric pump that gets a road tyre rideable in two minutes. I carry one. 5% off with code THE5KRUNNER.
Watches and sensors
- Polar H10: My daily driver for waking HRV.
- Polar Verity Sense: My backup arm-worn HR sensor.
- Nomad bedside charger: Charges my iPhone and Apple Watch overnight. I use it, and many of their bands.
- Train.Red: The best muscle oxygen sensor I’ve used.
- Tymewear: Accurate heart rate and reliable ventilatory zones. I use it to pace endurance rides over an hour.
- Garmin Forerunner 970: A pro-grade triathlon watch. I use this.
- Apple Watch Ultra 4: My daily smartwatch. No phone needed on rides.
- Garmin Fenix 9 Pro: I’ve just bought one.
On the bike
- Continental GP5000 for everyday riding, and Aero 111 on the front for special occasions.
- Helmets: Specialized S-Works Evade 3 for road riding, and Rudy Project Wing for TT-style races. I use both.
- Ravemen FR300: A front light that mounts under your Garmin or Wahoo. I use one.
- Wahoo TRACKR Radar: I use it on one bike and Varia on the other. They perform the same.
- Garmin Varia RTL515: Radar that warns you of cars from behind. I use this model.
- Wahoo ELEMNT Roam 3: The bike computer that’s easy to use. I use mine on most rides.
- Favero Assioma Pro RS2: Accurate power pedals that swap easily between bikes. I use this model.
Home and indoor training
- NPE Runn: Makes my basic treadmill smart, sending more accurate speed and distance to my watch and Zwift. I use it.
- Google Wifi: Keeps Zwift connected in my pain cave. I use it.
- Apple TV 4K: Zwift on the big screen. I use two.
- Google Nest Doorbell (wired, 2nd gen): My video doorbell, running in both Google Home and Apple Home. I use it.
Health, recovery and sleep
- FreeStyle Libre 3 Plus: Shows how my blood sugar responds to diet.
- hDrop: Measures my sweat loss in summer and indoors.
- Fourth Frontier Zone: Checks my heart under load in hard sessions.
- Oura Ring 5: My partner’s recovery tracker of choice.
- Kineon MOVE+: Red light therapy for niggles. It works.
- Eight Sleep: A cooling mattress cover my partner and I use nightly.
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tfk is the founder and author of the5krunner, an independent endurance sports technology publication. With 20 years of hands-on testing of GPS watches and wearables, and competing in triathlons at an international age-group level, tfk provides in-depth expert analysis of fitness technology for serious athletes and endurance sport competitors. ID
