The legal battle between Apple and medical technology company Masimo continues, with the larger company, more or less, winning its latest showdown. A federal jury agreed with Apple that earlier versions of Masimo's W1 and Freedom watches (pictured above) infringed its design patents, according to Reuters. It only awarded Apple $250 in damages, which is the smallest amount that could be awarded for patent infringement, but the company's lawyers reportedly told the court that it was not seeking money anyway.
What Apple, worth $3.5 billion, wanted was an injunction on sales of Masimo's current smartwatch models. However, the jury determined that those newer models do not violate Apple's intellectual property. That's why Masimo is also treating the jury's decision as a victory, telling the news organization that he's grateful for the verdict that is “for Masimo and against Apple on almost every issue.” Apparently, the ruling only affects a “discontinued module and charger.” As for Apple, he said Reuters that he was “glad that today's jury decision protects the innovations (he advances) on behalf of (his) clients.”
Masimo sued Apple in 2021, accusing it of infringing several of its light-based blood oxygen monitoring patents, while the tech giant struck back a year later. A court ruled in favor of Masimo in 2023, forcing Apple to suspend sales of its latest smartwatch models as the US International Trade Commission blocked all imports of the Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 in the country. The company appealed and was finally able to sell its watches in the country earlier this year by removing the technology from units offered in the United States.
