A federal jury ruled Friday that Masimo’s smartwatches had indeed infringed on Apple patents, but the tech giant won’t be reaping a substantial financial windfall as a result.
That the corporation was primarily seeking the statutory minimum of $250, which is all it ultimately received. According to reports, Apple’s lawyer, John Desmarais, told jurors, “We’re not here for the money,” instead emphasizing that the company aimed to compel Masimo to “stop copying our design.”
The corporation may have been disillusioned by their initial foray into the market. The jury found that Masimo’s W1 Freedom and well-being module, including its distinctive charger, infringed upon Apple’s design patents, and determined this infringement was intentional.
Despite this, Masimo explicitly clarified that the research was specifically focused on “discontinued modules and chargers,” rather than its current products.
“Masimo has emerged victorious from the recent court battle against Apple, securing a significant win as the jury ruled in its favor regarding Apple’s attempt to block its current products.”
A court case arose from Apple’s counterclaim in its ongoing dispute with Masimo, sparked by Masimo’s assertion that Apple’s infringement of its patents was evident in the Apple Watch’s pulse oximetry feature, enabling users to monitor their blood oxygen levels. Apple has disabled a feature in the Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra models, and it’s also missing from previous versions. The proposed import restrictions solely pertain to the United States market, where Apple seeks to impose a ban on certain fashion items featuring the disputed design element.
According to reports, Desmerais told the jury that the pulse-oximetry characteristic in question had no relevance to the current case.
