Post by : Badri Ariffin

In a significant ruling, a federal jury in California has mandated that Apple pay $634 million to Masimo, a pioneer in medical monitoring solutions, for breaching a patent associated with blood-oxygen measurement technology. The jury determined that specific functionalities of the Apple Watch, like the workout mode and heart rate notifications, infringed upon Masimo’s patent rights.

Apple has expressed its strong dissent against the decision and plans to pursue an appeal, while Masimo hailed the ruling as a major victory in its quest to protect its intellectual property.

This dispute is part of a larger ongoing clash between the Irvine-based Masimo and Apple, with accusations claiming that Apple hired former Masimo employees and used their pulse oximetry technology in its devices without proper authorization. In 2023, this conflict led a U.S. trade tribunal to block the importation of Apple’s Series 9 and Ultra 2 smartwatches, forcing Apple to temporarily disable the blood-oxygen feature, which was eventually reinstated after receiving clearance from U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

Currently, the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) has initiated a new investigation to assess whether the updated versions of Apple’s watches should be subjected to the import ban. Simultaneously, Masimo is pursuing legal action against Customs regarding this decision, while Apple is contesting the import ban at a federal appeals court.

This latest ruling adds another layer to the ongoing legal proceedings between Apple and Masimo. In 2023, a trade-secret case in California was declared a mistrial, while Apple secured a nominal $250 victory in a design patent dispute in Delaware the preceding year.

The verdict underscores the escalating tensions in the realm of wearable technology and medical advancements, indicating that disputes over intellectual property within the tech industry are intensifying.

#Global News