Pulse Oximetry Company Masimo Wants the Apple Watch Series 6 Banned

Medical device company Masimo is embroiled in an ongoing legal battle with Apple over several of the health capabilities available in the Apple Watch, and now Masimo wants the Apple Watch Series 6 banned, reports Bloomberg.

apple watch series 6 blood oxygen monitoring 1
Masimo today filed a new patent infringement lawsuit with the United States International Trade Commission, which asks the ITC to halt imports of the Apple Watch Series 6. According to Masimo, the Apple Watch Series 6 infringes on five Masimo patents related to blood oxygen monitoring.

Medical grade pulse oximetry devices are what Masimo specializes in, and pulse oximetry is a feature that Apple added to the Apple Watch with the Series 6 model. The Apple Watch uses light to detect the amount of oxygen in the blood, with the feature joining heart rate monitoring and ECG capabilities.

Masimo initially sued Apple in January 2020, accusing the Cupertino company of stealing trade secrets and improperly using Masimo inventions. Masimo's patents are now being examined by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office because Apple said they do not cover new inventions, and the case is on hold until that process has been completed.

Masimo has claimed that by getting the court to delay the legal proceedings until the patents are validated, Apple is attempting to sell more Apple Watches. The patent office delay has prompted Masimo to also file with the ITC, as the ITC will not delay the investigation.

ITC cases are completed in 15 to 18 months, and because of the speed at which cases are investigated, there won't be time for the patent office to weigh in should Apple also attempt to challenge these claims.

In the prior filing, Masimo claimed that Apple sneakily poached Masimo employees and used patented Masimo technology when developing the sensors used in the Apple Watch.

Masimo told the ITC that banning the Apple Watch Series 6 will not impact the public because the pulse oximetry functionality in the device is "not essential to the public health or welfare," and the Apple Watch's blood oxygen monitoring is not a true medical device.

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Top Rated Comments

leepalisoc Avatar
47 months ago

I'm proud to have never spent one penny to support thieves
…and yet you registered for an account and spent time to upload a profile pic with a website that is 99% related to these “thieves.”
Score: 24 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Kung gu Avatar
47 months ago

I'm proud to have never spent one penny to support thieves
If you ever brought any technology you supported thieves
Score: 21 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TheYayAreaLiving ?️ Avatar
47 months ago
Yeahhhhh! Good luck with that. That’s not going to work. Already got my series 6 AW. Definitely will be ordering series 7 AW.

Wasting their time, energy, resources.

Case Dismissed!
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
PlutoPrime Avatar
47 months ago
In David & Goliath... at least David was David. But here we're talking amoeba vs Zeus. No popcorn necessary for this one.
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jav6454 Avatar
47 months ago
So:

Masimo told the ITC that banning the Apple Watch Series 6 will not impact the public because the pulse oximetry functionality in the device is "not essential to the public health or welfare," and the Apple Watch's blood oxygen monitoring is not a true medical device.
Then what's the issue? Apple is not a medical grade device seller, nor do they claim to be.
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
DelayedGratificationGene Avatar
47 months ago
Another lawsuit against Apple huh? Seen so many through the years. Everyone goes after the King of the Hill looking for anything. The only ones getting anything are the lawyers folks so you’re only hurting yourselves.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)