Apple has another patent dispute on its hands, this time with the medical-grade pulse oximetry whizes from Masimo, over the new oxygen saturation test feature in the Watch Series 6.
Their Signal Extraction Technology, or Masimo SET has been polished over two decades to accomodate for patient movement and reduced peripheral blood flow, i.e. typical patient states.
More than a hundred studies have since confirmed the superiority of the SET’s measuring algorithms over more conventional pulse oximetry, and Masimo has been the medical-grade blood oxygen monitor of choice for countless hospitals and practices in the meantime, claims the company.
Masimo SET oximetry performance comparison against popular competitors
According to the lawsuit Masimo filed with the US International Trade Commission (ITC), however, Apple has poached its employees, and equipped the Watch Series 6 with SpO2 measuring abilities using algorithms and sensors similar to its established devices.
Needless to say, Apple argues that the patents don’t cover anything unique which is the go-to defense when it comes to such cases, and slid the initial case to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to die examine and determine if Massimo’s filings include new inventions. The move gums up the process, argue Masimo’s lawyers, and lets Apple sell Series 6 watches in the meantime.
This is why it filed with the ITC as well, hoping for a quicker resolution and ban on the Apple Watch Series 6 sales while the process is ongoing. In any case, its David vs Goliath, and, even if Masimo’s blood oxygen monitoring technology patents are validated by the court or the patent office, Apple could simply settle and move on with the sales of the world’s most popular smartwatch.
