In 2023, Masimo won its case against Apple and the Apple Watch, claiming that the company had infringed upon its patents. This resulted in the ITC banning the import of Apple Watch models that violated these patents. Apple has since found ways around it by making changes to the Apple Watch. And this time round, the ITC has sided with Apple.
ITC says Apple Watch does not infringe on Masimo patents
ITC Administrative Law Judge Monica Bhattacharyya found in an initial determination that the Apple Watch in its current form does not violate Masimo patents. This means that for now, Apple can keep selling the Apple Watch in the US.
Just in case you haven’t been keeping up with the lawsuit, Masimo claimed several years ago that the Apple Watch violated its patents. Apple later reworked the software of the Apple Watch. In particular, the company initially disabled the blood oxygen sensing feature. This was enough to appease US Customs and Border Protection, which allowed the Apple Watch to resume sales again.
Apple later made more tweaks. They changed it so that blood oxygen sensing is processed on the iPhone, not the watch itself. Now, the recent ruling by Judge Bhattacharyya basically upholds those changes.
In a statement made to 9to5Mac, an Apple spokesperson said, “We thank the Administrative Law Judge for her careful consideration and are pleased with the decision. For six years, Masimo has brought dozens of false claims against Apple, nearly all of which have been rejected. We will continue innovating to create industry-leading health, wellness, and life-saving features for our users.”
It’s not over yet
This ruling means that Apple can keep selling the Apple Watch in its current form. But it also means that Apple cannot revert back to the previous method of blood oxygen sensing, which was done on the watch itself. This is because the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit affirmed the original 2023 ITC decision.
As we said earlier, to get around the ban, Apple initially disabled blood oxygen sensing. They later shifted the processing from the watch to a pair of iPhones. The Court of Appeals holding up the original decision means that Apple cannot revert back to its original design. That being said, it won’t affect how you use your Apple Watch. You have to pair the watch with an iPhone anyway, so it’s not really a huge trade-off, but Apple doesn’t see it that way.
The company told 9to5Mac they’re exploring other avenues for further review. “We disagree with this decision and are evaluating all avenues for further review. We innovate every day to develop industry-leading health, wellness, and safety features and will continue working to provide our users the best products and services in the world.”
The post Apple Watch’s Blood Oxygen Workaround Passes Legal Scrutiny, But the Battle Is Far from Over appeared first on Android Headlines.
