A judge at the International Trade Commission (ITC) concluded that the company infringed copyright in developing the Apple Watch. Now the watch is threatened with an import ban – the issue is already under review.

what is known

Masimo filed a complaint with the ITC against Apple in the summer of 2021. Company Declared five patents infringed at the same time, but managed to persuade the judge during the trial in only one of the five cases. Masimo demands a cessation of sales Apple Watch Series 6, Watch Series 7, 8, Ultra, and SEusing pulse oximeters – a diagnostic technology for measuring the level of oxygen saturation (oxygenation) in the blood. So now the ITC regulator will consider whether to impose a ban on Apple Watch shipments with this feature.

Masimo CEO Joe Kiani said his company is pleased that the judge has taken “this important first step towards accountability.” “Apple is similarly infringing on other companies” and “the decision exposes Apple as a company that takes and repackages innovations from other companies,” Kiani said.

Meanwhile, Apple accused Masimo of copying its intellectual property in a statement:

At Apple, our teams work tirelessly to create products and services that provide users with industry-leading health, wellness, and safety features. By offering a device that copies the Apple Watch and infringes on our intellectual property, Masimo is trying to capitalize on these many innovations and try to eliminate competition in the market. We respectfully disagree with today’s decision and look forward to the commission’s full review of the case,
– said the representative of the company.

The judge’s decision is currently only a preliminary ruling reflecting the findings of the ITC’s investigation, but the final decision on the case will not be made until 10 May.