The Apple Watch is one of the most popular smartwatches in the market right now, and for good reason. Apple has invested a lot of money in the wearable , including all kinds of health and fitness tracking features. However, along the way, Apple seems to have violated some patents. Or at least, that’s what medical company Masimo claims. Now, it looks like the courts have sided with Masimo and awarded them a $634 million verdict in the Apple patent infringement case.
Masimo wins big in Apple patent infringement verdict
According to the federal jury, they found a verdict in favor of Masimo in the patent infringement lawsuit against Apple. They found that Masimo patents, including that of a pulse-oximeter, were infringed. The jury also found that some Apple Watch models could legally qualify as “patient monitors.”
During the trial, Apple’s attorneys said that a “patient monitor” only refers to devices designed for continuous clinical monitoring, and that it cannot miss critical medical events. The Apple Watch, on the other hand, only triggers alerts if the user is motionless for 10 minutes. Therefore by this definition, Apple’s smartwatch shouldn’t be considered a “patient monitor.”
But like we said, ultimately, the jury found in favor of Masimo and awarded the company $634 million in damages. But is this the end? Hardly. To no one’s surprise, Apple confirmed that it plans to appeal the verdict . If it fails in its attempts, this could be one of the larger payouts Apple has had to make in recent years.
A bit of backstory
For those unfamiliar with the case, Masimo first sued Apple about six years ago. The company claimed that Apple had infringed upon its patents, namely a patent related to blood oxygen monitoring. It also claimed that Apple had used its technology without permission, and even went as far as poaching Masimo employees to help develop its sensor technology.
While most of Masimo’s patents have been found invalid, we suppose all it really needs is just one that sticks. However, an Apple spokesperson said that the patent in question actually expired in 2022. It is also referring to patient monitoring for technology decades ago. The company has spent over $100 million taking Apple to court. But based on this verdict, it looks like the $100 million might have been a pretty good investment.
