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The Apple vs Masimo patent feud doesn’t seem to stop at any time. Both parties are currently in a legal dispute over patents related to the blood oxygen feature on the Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2. The International Trade Commission (ITC) had also temporarily banned Apple from selling the mentioned variants in the US. In response to the ITC’s decision to ban the sale of these watches in the US, Apple has chosen to appeal. Notably, despite the ongoing legal battle, Apple continues to sell the Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 in the US. However, to comply with the dispute, they have disabled the blood oxygen feature via a recent software update.
Apple CEO believes there are many reasons to still buy the watch
Apple’s CEO Tim Cook recently talked about their plan in a one-to-one with CNBC. As spotted by Apple Insider, Cook said Apple doesn’t want to use Masimo’s technology and is more interested in challenging the Apple vs Masimo patent feud. In simpler terms, they’re not trying to make a deal with Masimo.
According to Cook, there are many reasons to buy the Apple Watch, even without the blood oxygen feature. Despite a short period where the Series 9 and Ultra 2 were not available on Apple’s official channels, the Wearables, Home, and Accessories reported $11.95 billion in revenue for fiscal Q1 2024, surpassing expectations.
“There are lots of reasons to buy the watch even without the blood oxygen sensor,” Tim Cook stated reportedly. Meanwhile, Masimo’s chief Joe Kiani wants to hold talks with Apple to find a solution. However, Cook’s statement shows that Apple is not ready for talks; they’re focused on the legal process instead.
According to WCCFTech, Masimo has won in similar cases before, even getting a billion-dollar deal. It has also pumped in about $100 million in the ongoing Apple vs. Masimo patent battle. Despite the possible money loss, Apple’s boss wants to fight the ban and keep selling watches in the US.
Once the Apple Watch vs. Masimo patent feud is over, the features will come back
The Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 don’t perform blood oxygen tracking, which was a major update over the previous iterations. For now, you can get both of these without the blood oxygen tracking, of course. The outcome of the fight is still unclear. It’s like a game that no one’s winning right now.