Apple fined $634m over Apple Watch patent infringement
A federal jury in California has ruled that Apple must pay $634 million (€545 million) to Masimo, a manufacturer of medical monitoring technology. Apple was found to have infringed on a Masimo patent with the blood oxygen technology in the Apple Watch. The jury determined that Apple Watch features such as the workout mode and heart rate notifications violated Masimo’s patent rights.
Apple announced it would appeal the verdict. Masimo called the ruling a major victory for the protection of its intellectual property.
The case is part of a broader conflict between Apple and Masimo. According to Masimo, Apple poached its employees and stole pulse oximetry technology for use in the Apple Watch. In 2023, a US trade court imposed an import ban on Apple’s Series 9 and Ultra 2 smartwatches, ruling that Apple’s technology infringed on Masimo’s patents.
To circumvent the ban, Apple temporarily removed the blood oxygen measurement feature from its watches. However, in August, the company reintroduced an updated version of the technology after receiving approval from US Customs and Border Protection. The ITC then launched a new procedure to determine whether this updated technology is also covered by the import ban. Masimo is contesting that decision and is taking legal action against customs officials. Apple is likewise challenging the ban in a federal appeals court.
The legal battle is complex. Early in 2023, a California judge declared a mistrial in a case over alleged trade secret theft, as the jury could not reach a verdict. Apple did score a limited victory when a court in Delaware last year ruled that Masimo had to pay a mere $250 (€215) for alleged infringement of two Apple smartwatch design patents.
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