A federal jury has ordered Apple to pay $634 million to medical technology company Masimo after finding that the Apple Watch infringed on Masimo's patented blood oxygen monitoring technology. The case focused on features such as the Apple Watch’s workout mode and heart rate notifications, which were ruled to violate Masimo’s patent rights.
Apple’s Response and Ongoing Legal Battle
An Apple spokesperson expressed disagreement with the verdict and announced plans to appeal the decision. Apple highlighted that Masimo has filed lawsuits over 25 patents in various courts over the past six years, with most being invalidated. The specific patent involved in this case expired in 2022 and covered older patient monitoring methods. However, Masimo described the ruling as a significant victory in protecting their intellectual property.
Feature Disabling Following ITC Import Ban
Following an International Trade Commission (ITC) ruling in January 2024, Apple was forced to disable the pulse oximeter feature on Apple Watch Series 9, Series 10, and Apple Watch Ultra 2 models in the United States due to patent infringement. This decision affected users’ access to the blood oxygen monitoring capabilities on these devices.
The original blood oxygen monitoring feature displayed results directly on the Apple Watch screen.
Apple’s Revised Pulse Oximeter Technology Under Review
Apple has developed a modified version of the pulse oximeter feature, shifting the data analysis and calculations from the watch itself to the paired iPhone. This update was included in watchOS 11.6.1 and iOS 18.6.1 and pre-installed on the Apple Watch Series 11 released in September 2024. The goal of this redesign was to avoid infringing on Masimo’s patents.
The original system performed blood oxygen data collection, calculation, and display directly on the Apple Watch, whereas the revised system delegates the analysis to the iPhone. Blood oxygen levels are now shown within the Health app under the Respiratory section.
ITC to Reassess Revised Technology
The ITC has announced it will hold new proceedings to evaluate Apple's updated pulse oximeter implementation since it was not part of the original investigation. The commission must determine whether involving the paired iPhone for calculations eliminates patent infringement concerns.
If the ITC rules that the revised technology still infringes Masimo’s patents, Apple may be faced with several options: disabling the feature again, developing an entirely new pulse oximeter technology, or licensing the patents from Masimo. Industry observers suggest that licensing could be the most straightforward solution, allowing Apple to restore full feature functionality while compensating Masimo.
