Apple Wins Lawsuit Against Masimo and Retains Right to Sell Watches — Engadget
The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) has issued a final ruling in favor of Apple, allowing the updated Apple Watch models to continue being sold in the U.S. market.
Engadget reports this.
The regulator confirmed that the modified blood oxygen measurement technology that Apple integrated into its devices does not infringe on the patent rights of the medical corporation Masimo.
This decision is based on the ITC judge’s preliminary findings, released in March of this year.
At that time, it was determined that the design and software changes in the new iterations of the smartwatches were sufficient to dismiss claims of unauthorized use of others’ intellectual property.
Apple representatives expressed their gratitude to the Commission for its impartial review of the case.
In its official statement, the company emphasized that Masimo has been waging a long-running legal campaign, most of whose claims have already been rejected by courts of various levels over the past few years.
The conflict between the two giants began back in 2021, when Masimo first accused Apple of stealing pulse oximetry technology.
Previous ITC rulings forced the iPhone maker to temporarily limit the functionality of its watches and make adjustments to its manufacturing process to avoid a complete ban on product imports into the U.S.
Despite Apple successfully modifying the blood oxygen measurement feature, Masimo continued to push for new restrictions.
The regulator’s current ruling effectively settles the issue of the legitimacy of the updated models currently on store shelves.
Legal experts note that Masimo still has the right to appeal. The company may file an appeal with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, though the chances of the ITC’s decision being overturned are currently considered low.
For users, this means stable supplies of the popular gadget and no risk of the devices suddenly disappearing from store shelves.
Meanwhile, Apple continues to work on its own medical sensors to minimize its reliance on third-party patent licensing in the future.
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