Apple and medical device maker Masimo are currently locked in multiple legal battles, chief among them the ongoing fight over the Apple Watch blood oxygen sensor.
However, in a separate case, Apple won today thanks to a jury ruling in Delaware. The jury ruled that two of Masimo's smartwatches and chargers “willfully infringed Apple's smartwatch design patents,” Reuters reports.
Apple has previously accused Masimo of using litigation to rush the launch of its own smartwatch product. In October 2022, Apple filed two patent infringement lawsuits against Masimo. The first lawsuit accused Masimo of copying the Apple Watch design. The second said Masimo's specifications violated Apple patents covering technologies used in the Apple Watch.
Reuters reports:
Apple convinced a federal jury on Friday that health-monitoring company Masimo’s smartwatches infringe on two of its design patents.
A Delaware jury agreed with Apple that Masimo’s W1 and Freedom watches and chargers intentionally infringed Apple’s smartwatch design patents, awarding the tech giant $250 in damages. Apple’s lawyers told the court that the “ultimate goal” of its lawsuit was to seek an injunction against Masimo’s sales of the smartwatches after a ruling of infringement.
However, the jury also found that Masimo’s smartwatches “do not infringe Apple’s patents covering the smartwatch inventions that the tech giant accused Masimo of copying.”
In a statement to 9to5Mac, Apple said the jury’s decision finds that Masimo “copied Apple Watch” and infringed its intellectual property:
We thank the jury for their thorough review of this case and for finding that Masimo willfully infringed Apple’s patented designs. Apple’s teams have worked for years to develop Apple Watch, a successful and innovative product that makes a significant difference in the lives of its users. Masimo took a shortcut by releasing a device that copies Apple Watch and infringes our intellectual property. We’re pleased that today’s jury’s decision will protect the innovation we drive on behalf of our customers.
Masimo touted the jury’s decision as a victory, as Apple was unable to obtain an injunction. “Apple primarily sought an injunction against Masimo’s current products, and the jury’s verdict is a victory for Masimo in this matter,” the company said in a statement.
Apple says it plans to continue exploring all options to protect its patented innovations, citing the strength of its evidence.
Again, this case does not directly impact the ongoing litigation between Apple and Masimo over the Apple Watch blood oxygen sensor. In February, Apple CEO Tim Cook said Apple was focused on appealing the ITC’s decision in that case rather than settling with the company.
Follow Chance: Threads, Twitter, Instagram, and Mastodon.
