Biometric Sensor Company Valencell Accuses Apple of Stealing Technology for Apple Watch

Biometric sensor company Valencell today filed a lawsuit against Apple (via AppleInsider), accusing the Cupertino-based company of patent infringement, deceptive trade practices, and breach of contract, all related to dealings Apple had with Valencell before the launch of the Apple Watch.

According to Valencell, Apple expressed interest in its PerformTek heart rate sensor technology starting in 2013, leading Valencell to believe Apple would license PerformTek technology for the Apple Watch's heart rate sensor. Apple met with Valencell in 2013 and late 2014 to discuss incorporating PerformTek-powered features into the Apple Watch and is said to have expressed "great interest" in Valencell's wrist-based heart rate-sensing technology.

applewatch
Valencell demonstrated a prototype PerformTek-powered watch in 2013 to 15 Apple employees and later sent Apple PerformTek products to test and examine in detail. Valencell believes Apple deceptively solicited technical information and know-how under the false pretense of a licensing agreement despite having no intention to actually license the technology. Furthermore, Valencell accuses Apple of deciding it was more financially beneficial to risk infringing on Valencell's patents than to license them.

Apple did not have an intention of licensing Valencell's PerformTek Technology. Instead, Apple's interaction with Valencell was fueled by a business decision that the benefits of infringing upon Valencell's patented technology outweigh the risk of being caught and ultimately forced to pay damages. This practice is consistent with the statement by Apple CEO Steve Jobs that Apple has "always been shameless about stealing great ideas."

Valencell believes the Apple Watch infringes on four of its patents, all related to heart rate sensing technology. Valencell is suing for patent infringement, the aforementioned deceptive trade practices, and breach of contract related to some Valencell white papers Apple employees downloaded from Valencell's website using fictitious names and data.

Valencell is requesting a preliminary and permanent injunction preventing future acts of infringement, along with damages and an ongoing reasonable royalty rate for licensing purposes should a permanent injunction not be granted. Valencell has also filed a similar lawsuit against Fitbit.

Top Rated Comments

rodpascoe Avatar
107 months ago
Clearly Apple stole their technology,. They have done this before with Xerox and countless other companies.
Now let Apple apologists, defend Apple
"clearly Apple stole their tech" You know this how? From a few paragraphs on this site?

Do you sit on either companies board? Have you torn down both devices and come to that conclusion?

I'm not as you suggest being an Apple apologist - I don't know any more than anyone else reading this post but how people jump to these guilty/not guilty conclusions whilst knowing zip amazes me.
Score: 33 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Robert.Walter Avatar
107 months ago
Clearly Apple stole their technology,. They have done this before with Xerox and countless other companies.
Now let Apple apologists, defend Apple
Xerox bought a million bucks in Apple stock at a discount prior to the Apple IPO. As part of that deal, Xerox management allowed SJ to use anything he saw at PARC.
Score: 30 Votes (Like | Disagree)
cocky jeremy Avatar
107 months ago
Clearly Apple stole their technology,. They have done this before with Xerox and countless other companies.
Now let Apple apologists, defend Apple
Found the Android user.
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
citysnaps Avatar
107 months ago
Clearly Apple stole their technology,. They have done this before with Xerox and countless other companies.
Now let Apple apologists, defend Apple
Clearly??? No. It's merely an allegation.
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
OllyW Avatar
107 months ago
Then why not go after Fitbit and every other company that integrated heart rate monitors into wearables before the Apple Watch even existed?
They are going after Fitbit.

Valencell Files Patent Infringement Suit against Apple, Inc. and Fitbit, Inc. ('http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/valencell-files-patent-infringement-suit-against-apple-inc-and-fitbit-inc-300199025.html')
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Iconoclysm Avatar
107 months ago
Clearly Apple stole their technology,. They have done this before with Xerox and countless other companies.
Now let Apple apologists, defend Apple
Apple clearly stole this...yet you know so little about the Xerox PARC deal that you think Apple stole that too? FYI, Apple traded stock for Xerox's stuff, they willingly handed it over, and many employees at Apple at the time were from Xerox PARC to begin with. I don't know why people like yourself always speak as if you know what you're talking about then follow it up with "now defend that, apologists". You're flat out wrong, people are pointing it out, it might seem like defensiveness to you...because you're likely wrong all of the time considering the "facts" you just presented.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iPhone 16 Camera Lozenge 2 Perspective Gray

Five Key Upgrades Coming to iPhone 16

Friday March 15, 2024 1:45 pm PDT by
The iPhone is Apple's top-selling product, and it gets an update every year. In 2024, we're expecting the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro lineup, with an arguably more interesting feature set than we got with the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Capture Button All four iPhone 16 models are set to get a whole new button, which will be...
iphone se 4 modified flag edges

iPhone SE 4 Expected to Depreciate Heavily

Tuesday March 12, 2024 9:04 am PDT by
Resale value trends suggest the iPhone SE 4 may not hold its value as well as Apple's flagship models, according to SellCell. According to the report, Apple's iPhone SE models have historically depreciated much more rapidly than the company's more premium offerings. The third-generation iPhone SE, which launched in March 2022, experienced a significant drop in resale value, losing 42.6%...
apple wallet drivers license feature

Apple Said iPhone Driver's Licenses Would Expand to These 8 U.S. States… Two Years Ago

Thursday March 14, 2024 7:33 am PDT by
In just four U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or ID to the Apple Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, providing a convenient and contactless way to display proof of identity or age at select airports, businesses, and venues. Adoption of the feature has been slow since Apple first announced it in September 2021, with IDs in the Wallet app only available in Arizona,...
airpods 3 orange

Two New AirPods 4 Models Expected to Launch in September or October

Sunday March 17, 2024 7:56 am PDT by
Apple suppliers will begin production of two new fourth-generation AirPods models in May, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Based on this production timeframe, he expects the headphones to be released in September or October. Gurman expects both fourth-generation AirPods models to feature a new design with better fit, improved sound quality, and an updated charging case with a USB-C...
When To Expect New iPads Feature 1

Apple to Announce New iPads on March 26, Rumors Claim

Monday March 18, 2024 4:02 am PDT by
Apple is widely expected to release new iPad Air and OLED iPad Pro models in the next few weeks. According to new rumors coming out of Asia, the company will announce its new iPads on Tuesday, March 26. Chinese leaker Instant Digital on Weibo this morning 日发布%23">claimed that the date will see some sort of announcement from Apple related to new iPads, but stopped short of calling it an...
OLED iPad Air

iPad Air Next on Apple's OLED Tablet Roadmap Following iPad Pro

Friday March 15, 2024 3:30 am PDT by
The iPad Air will be the next Apple tablet to adopt OLED display panel technology following its upcoming OLED iPad Pro models, according to an updated forecast from research firm Omdia (via The Elec). "In 2028, we expect the iPad Air to go OLED as well, with the iPad Air using single-stack and the iPad Pro using two-stack tandem OLEDs," said Omdia researcher Kang Min-soo, speaking on...
Walmart MacBook Air M1

Walmart Begins Selling MacBook Air With M1 Chip for $699 in U.S.

Friday March 15, 2024 6:57 am PDT by
Walmart today announced that it has started selling the MacBook Air with the M1 chip in the U.S., with pricing set at a very reasonable $699. The laptop can be ordered now on Walmart.com, and it will be available soon at select Walmart stores. This is the first time that customers can purchase a Mac that is sold directly by Walmart, the company said in a press release. Some other retailers...