Apple’s long-running legal fight with medical technology company Masimo escalated this week after a federal jury ordered the tech giant to pay $634 million for infringing a Masimo patent related to blood oxygen sensing. The ruling marks one of the largest consumer-tech verdicts in California’s Central District.
Masimo argued that Apple used its patented methods to detect a user’s blood oxygen levels. The company pointed to Apple Watch features such as heart-rate alerts and workout tracking as evidence of infringement. Jurors agreed, concluding that Apple integrated pulse-oximetry capabilities into more than 43 million devices.
Debate Over What Counts as a “Patient Monitor”
A key question in the trial was whether the Apple Watch qualifies as a “patient monitor.” Masimo said the Apple Watch functions like medical-grade technology, noting Apple’s own claims that the device is “the most used heart rate monitor in the world.”
Apple pushed back and argued that its watch does not meet the medical definition. The company stressed that its alerts trigger only when users remain still for ten minutes, which differs from continuous clinical monitoring. Apple’s legal team insisted that the patent related to older medical-device technology that does not apply to consumer wearables.
Apple Plans to Appeal the Verdict
After the ruling, Masimo called the verdict a “significant win” in its effort to protect its intellectual property. Apple disagreed sharply and said it will appeal. The company noted that most of Masimo’s earlier patent claims were found invalid and emphasized that the patent in this case expired in 2022.
A Long and Complicated Legal Saga
This decision adds another chapter to the companies’ ongoing conflict. Previous cases included a 2023 mistrial involving a $1 billion claim and an ITC import ban that temporarily forced Apple to disable the blood oxygen feature on certain Apple Watch models. Meanwhile, Masimo faced its own setback in 2024 when a jury found it violated Apple’s patents and awarded Apple only $250.
As the legal battle continues, both companies appear prepared for more courtroom clashes. The ITC recently reopened another investigation into Apple Watch health-sensing technology, signaling that this dispute is far from over.
