Apple has been ordered to pay $634 million to medical device maker Masimo after a federal jury in California concluded that features built into the Apple Watch infringed on one of Masimo’s long-standing patents related to blood oxygen monitoring. The decision marks a major development in a legal fight that has stretched for years and centered on how far consumer tech companies can go when integrating health-focused capabilities into their devices.
Masimo, a company recognized for its clinical-grade monitoring technologies used in hospitals around the world, argued that Apple incorporated elements of its pulse oximetry inventions into consumer wearables without the proper permissions. After reviewing the evidence, the jury determined that features tied to the Apple Watch’s workout mode and heart rate alert system fell under Masimo’s protected technology.
Masimo Says Verdict Validates Its Fight to Defend Medical Innovations
For Masimo, the ruling represents a rare but significant win in the ongoing struggle to protect its intellectual property from what it views as unauthorized replication by larger tech competitors. The company has maintained throughout the legal process that its research, particularly in pulse oximetry, took decades to refine and continues to play a crucial role in patient monitoring across clinical environments.
Pulse oximetry works through optical sensors that emit light through the skin to measure blood oxygen levels. This method is now common in wearables, but Masimo contends that Apple adopted the approach too closely without licensing the underlying technological concepts. The company has consistently argued that safeguarding medical innovation is essential to its ability to improve patient outcomes and develop new health-monitoring tools.
Apple Disputes Jury’s Findings and Plans to Appeal
Apple sharply disagreed with the verdict and has already announced plans to challenge the ruling. The company maintains that the decision does not reflect the facts presented in court and argues that its engineers developed the Apple Watch’s health features independently.
Apple also emphasized that the patent at the center of the case expired in 2022 and relates to older forms of patient monitoring technology. The company noted that Masimo has pursued Apple in multiple courts and has asserted more than two dozen patents over several years—many of which, according to Apple, were either dismissed or invalidated.
Apple further highlighted that Masimo’s business model focuses on professional healthcare devices rather than consumer electronics, implying that litigation has become a tool for the company to slow down Apple’s expanding presence in health-focused technology.
A Long, Complicated Dispute Over Health-Tracking Technology
This case is only one branch of a broader conflict between the two companies. Masimo has accused Apple of attempting to hire away key employees in order to gain insights into medical monitoring technology, including Masimo’s former chief medical officer. Apple has denied any improper behavior and has repeatedly insisted that it builds its health features through its own research and development.
The dispute has become emblematic of a larger clash between traditional medical device firms and consumer electronics manufacturers entering the wellness and health-tech space. As smartwatches increasingly function as health companions rather than simple accessories, competition over patents and technology rights has intensified.
ITC Ban Escalated the Stakes
In 2023, the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) sided with Masimo, ruling that Apple infringed its pulse oximetry patents and issuing a ban preventing Apple from importing certain Apple Watch models equipped with blood oxygen monitoring capabilities. The decision forced Apple to temporarily halt sales of specific models in the United States and prompted the company to seek ways to redesign its product to remain compliant.
Since then, newer Apple Watch units released during the import ban period have not supported blood oxygen monitoring, leaving a noticeable gap in the product’s feature lineup.
Apple Attempts a Workaround to Bring Back Blood Oxygen Monitoring
To address the ITC ban, Apple unveiled a redesigned method of delivering blood oxygen information earlier this year. Instead of computing blood oxygen data directly on the watch, the updated system shifts that process to the user’s paired iPhone. Apple argues that this redesigned technical workflow avoids the patent issues raised by Masimo while still offering customers a familiar experience.
Masimo, however, disputes that the workaround is legitimate and claims the updated system still violates its intellectual property. The disagreement triggered yet another legal challenge.
Masimo Takes U.S. Customs to Court Over Apple Watch Imports
After Apple began importing watches with the redesigned blood oxygen feature, Masimo filed a lawsuit against U.S. Customs and Border Protection, arguing that the agency improperly cleared the redesigned models despite the ITC’s import restrictions. Masimo contends that Apple is still circumventing the ruling, while Apple maintains that its new implementation fully complies with federal requirements.
Meanwhile, Apple has asked a federal appeals court to overturn the original ITC ban entirely, setting the stage for another round of legal arguments between the two companies.
In a separate lawsuit, Apple had accused Masimo of violating its design patents. Although Apple won that case, the jury awarded the company just $250, the minimum statutory amount. The symbolic award underscores how one-sided the financial stakes in this broader legal war have become.
