Recently, a federal jury in California ruled that the tech company Apple must pay up to $625 million to the medical-device firm Masimo for infringing a patent related to blood-oxygen measurement used in its latest Apple Watch models. According to the verdict, features such as the workout mode and the watch’s heart-rate alerts violated Masimo’s patented technology.
This ruling is considered a significant victory for Masimo, which has strongly defended its technological innovation and intellectual property. Meanwhile, Apple has announced it will appeal the decision, arguing that the patent in question expired in 2022 and is based on older medical technology.
The dispute between the two companies dates back to 2020, when Masimo accused Apple of using several of its key patents without authorization.
What does this multimillion-dollar payment mean for Apple?
Beyond the financial impact, the ruling forces Apple to reconsider how it integrates medical technologies into the Apple Watch and to strengthen its legal strategy for future patent disputes.