Apple wins a battle (and $250) in its smartwatch patent fight with Masimo

Image: Cath Virginia / The VergeApple got a mixed victory in a patent infringement lawsuit against medical device maker Masimo. On Friday, a federal jury determined that Masimo had infringed on some Apple patents, and as part of the...

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Oct 26, 2024 - 21:01
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Apple wins a battle (and $250) in its smartwatch patent fight with Masimo

Apple got a mixed victory in a patent infringement lawsuit against medical device maker Masimo. On Friday, a federal jury determined that Masimo had infringed on some Apple patents, and as part of the verdict, Apple was awarded $250 — yes, just $250 — as a statutory remedy for Masimo’s infringement.

$250 is the statutory minimum damages for the alleged infringement and Apple had sought that figure, Bloomberg Law reports. “We’re not here for the money,” Apple attorney John Desmarais said to jurors in closing arguments, according to the publication.

Masimo’s W1 smartwatch, Freedom smartwatch, and health module infringed on one patent, while Masimo’s charger infringed on another, per the verdict form. The jury also found that Masimo’s infringement was willful.

Earlier this year, Apple stopped selling the Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 with blood oxygen features in the US following an International Trade Commission ruling that Apple infringed on Masimo patents for pulse oximetry. The recently-launched Apple Watch Series 10 lacks them, too.