“Apple Discontinues Blood Oxygen Monitoring in Watches Amidst Patent Legal Clash”
In a strategic move to circumvent a looming import ban, tech giant Apple has decided to eliminate the blood oxygen monitoring feature from its latest smartwatches following a patent dispute with medical device maker Masimo.
In a strategic move to circumvent a looming import ban, tech giant Apple has decided to eliminate the blood oxygen monitoring feature from its latest smartwatches following a patent dispute with medical device maker Masimo.
The dispute arose when Masimo accused Apple of infringing on its intellectual property by leveraging their technology and expertise to develop the pulse oximeter function in Apple’s smartwatches. Despite a failed patent lawsuit, the International Trade Commission (ITC) sided with Masimo, leading to the imposition of an import ban on several Apple Watch models.
Last month, Apple briefly halted sales of the Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 after a trade commission ruling, though a court allowed temporary sales during the dispute. To permanently lift the ban, Apple has agreed to deactivate the contested pulse oximeter feature, a decision approved by the US Customs and Border Protection.
The International Trade Commission’s findings in October revealed that certain Apple Watches had indeed infringed on patents held by Masimo, a medical technology company based in Irvine, California, that played a pivotal role in pioneering pulse oximeter technology. The ban on the import of Apple watches, primarily manufactured in Asia, was a direct consequence of these findings.
“We strongly disagree with the decision,” expressed an Apple spokeswoman in response to the ruling. In compliance with the agreement, starting Thursday, Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 models without the pulse oximeter feature will be available both online and in stores. While the app icon for the removed feature will still be present, users tapping it will receive a notification informing them of its unavailability.
The impact of this decision extends to Apple Watch’s global market share, estimated at 25% by Counterpoint Research. Apple, however, remains adamant about challenging the decision and seeks its reversal. It’s important to note that existing Apple Watches and those sold outside the United States remain unaffected by the imposed changes.
As Apple navigates the legal intricacies of this dispute, the modification to its smartwatches underscores the challenges and complexities faced by tech giants when intellectual property rights come into contention. The ongoing legal battle has the potential to shape the landscape of wearable technology and patent rights within the industry.
Sources By Agencies
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