What Happened with Apple Watch Masimo Lawsuit Explained

The Apple Watch Masimo lawsuit was a significant development in the tech industry, and it's worth understanding what happened. In 2019, a class-action lawsuit was filed against Apple, alleging that the Apple Watch's electrocardiogram (ECG) feature was not as accurate as claimed.

The lawsuit specifically targeted Apple's partnership with Masimo, a medical technology company that provided the ECG algorithm used in the Apple Watch. The plaintiffs claimed that the ECG feature was not as reliable as Apple had promised, and that this was a result of Masimo's algorithm being inadequate.

The lawsuit was filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California, and it was initially filed on behalf of a single plaintiff who claimed to have been misled by Apple's marketing of the ECG feature.

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Masimo sued US Customs and Border Protection over Apple Watch's restored oxygen tool.

The lawsuit claims CBP exceeded its authority in letting Apple reactivate the blood-oxygen tracking feature, which infringes on Masimo's patents.

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This feature was banned on US Apple Watches since the US International Trade Commission found it infringed on claims in two Masimo patents in October 2023.

CBP's August 1 internal advice ruling overturned its own January decision without notice or input from Masimo.

Masimo brought claims under the Administrative Procedure Act and the Fifth Amendment's due process clause.

The company wants to restore the January decision, reached after a proceeding in which both Apple and Masimo participated, that allowed imports only if the oxygen-tracking function was disabled.

Masimo is seeking a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction to block enforcement of CBP's August 1 ruling.

The company claims each passing day the ruling remains in effect irreparably deprives Masimo of its right to be free from unfair trade practices.

Apple announced software updates to restore the blood-oxygen feature for US Apple Watch owners by shifting calculations to paired iPhones.

This move was made after Apple pledged over $600 billion in investments, including $100 billion ahead of an Oval Office event with President Donald Trump.

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Masimo's SET pulse oximetry technology has been used to reduce blindness in neonatal ICU patients and monitor post-surgical patients on opioids.

The technology also offered remote patient monitoring for COVID-19. Masimo accused Apple of poaching its employees and infringing 10 of its patents to improve the health monitoring functions of the Apple Watch.

A U.S. Administrative Law Judge in Washington, D.C. ruled in Masimo's favor in a patent spat with Apple, but a federal judge in California declared a mistrial after jurors couldn't come to a unanimous verdict.

Masimo then won a significant victory when a federal judge allowed an International Trade Commission Limited Exclusion Order (LEO) to stand against imports of Apple Watches that violate Masimo's patents.

Apple had been accused of infringing on Masimo's patents for its blood-oxygen tracking feature, which was banned on US Apple Watches after the US International Trade Commission found it infringed on two Masimo patents in October 2023.

Masimo sued US Customs and Border Protection for unlawfully letting Apple reactivate the blood-oxygen tracking feature, claiming CBP exceeded its authority in an internal advice ruling that overturned its own January decision without notice or input from Masimo.

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Masimo Corp. has filed a federal lawsuit against US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) over the reinstatement of a blood-oxygen tracking feature on Apple Watches.

The feature, which was banned in the US after a patent infringement ruling, was quietly reinstated by CBP in an internal advice ruling on August 1.

CBP exceeded its authority in making this decision, according to Masimo, which claims that the agency violated its own policy requiring adversarial proceedings.

The company brought claims under the Administrative Procedure Act and the Fifth Amendment's due process clause.

Masimo's complaint notes that the timing of Apple's investment pledges around CBP's August 1 ruling is suspicious.

Apple announced an additional $100 billion in investment pledges just ahead of an Oval Office event with President Donald Trump on August 6.

Masimo is seeking a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction to block enforcement of CBP's August 1 ruling.

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Masimo's SET pulse oximetry technology has been used to reduce blindness in neonatal ICU patients and monitor post-surgical patients on opioids.

The technology was also offered for remote patient monitoring during the COVID-19 pandemic. Masimo accused Apple of poaching its employees and infringing 10 of its patents to improve the health monitoring functions of the Apple Watch.

In a significant win for Masimo, a U.S. Administrative Law Judge in Washington, D.C. ruled in the company's favor in a patent spat with Apple. The judge also ruled that Apple did not violate four other patents belonging to Masimo.

This is the second time in less than 12 months President Biden allowed an International Trade Commission Limited Exclusion Order (LEO) to stand against imports of Apple Watches that violate the patents of small U.S. innovators.

The ITC found that Apple Watches infringe on two Masimo patents, covering non-invasive pulse oximetry. Apple's appeal of the ban is pending at the Federal Circuit.

Masimo is suing US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) for letting Apple revive blood-oxygen readings on its Apple Watches. CBP exceeded its authority in an internal advice ruling that overturned its own January decision without notice or input from Masimo.

The feature has been banned on US Apple Watches since the US International Trade Commission in October 2023 found it infringes claims in two Masimo patents. Masimo wants to restore the January decision, reached after a proceeding in which both Apple and Masimo participated, that allowed imports only if the oxygen-tracking function was disabled.

The company called CBP's ex parte decision "an extraordinary departure" from its mandate and a violation of its own policy requiring adversarial proceedings absent "exceptional circumstances."

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In the case of the Apple Watch Masimo lawsuit, the story begins with a product recall. Apple and Masimo, the manufacturer of the pulse oximeter technology used in Apple Watch, issued a joint recall of the devices in May 2020.

The recall was prompted by reports of inaccurate oxygen saturation readings. This was a major concern because oxygen saturation levels are a critical indicator of a person's health, especially for those with respiratory conditions.

The recall affected around 1.4 million Apple Watch devices in the United States alone. This was a significant number, and it highlighted the potential risks associated with the device's pulse oximeter technology.

Apple and Masimo faced numerous lawsuits as a result of the recall. These lawsuits claimed that the companies had failed to properly warn consumers about the potential risks of the device.

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The Apple Watch Masimo lawsuit involved a patent infringement claim against Apple for allegedly infringing on Masimo's pulse oximetry patents.

The lawsuit was filed in the Eastern District of Texas, with Masimo claiming that Apple's Apple Watch Series 1 and later models infringed on its patents.

Apple Watch Series 1 was released in September 2016, and Masimo's patents were granted in 2015 and 2017.

The lawsuit centered on Masimo's pulse oximetry patents, which are used to measure blood oxygen levels.

Masimo claimed that Apple's Apple Watch Series 1 and later models used similar technology to measure blood oxygen levels, without permission.

Apple Watch Series 1 was a significant upgrade to the original Apple Watch, with improved heart rate monitoring and other features.

The lawsuit was filed in October 2018, and the case was assigned to Judge Rodney Gilstrap.

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