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New Delhi: American smartphone giant Apple has been involved in a patent dispute with Masimo, a healthcare company, over the blood oxygen detection function in the Apple Watch.
This dispute led to an import ban on certain Apple Watch models in the US. Despite the ban, Apple CEO Tim Cook has stated that the company has no intention to licence Masimo’s blood oxygen detection to end the import ban. Cook mentioned that the company is focused on appeals and that there are several other reasons to buy the watch, even without the blood oxygen sensor.
Apple Watch Series 9, Ultra 2 Disabled
The ban affects the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2, with the blood oxygen sensor being disabled via software in the models sold after the ban was imposed. However, the models sold before the ban still have functional blood oxygen detection. It is likely that Apple might add the blood oxygen detection function back using a software update if and when the import ban ends.
Apple Masimo Patent Dispute
Masimo has expressed its willingness to settle with Apple, and the sales of the affected Apple Watch models have resumed without the blood oxygen features amid the patent infringement dispute. Apple’s appeal is ongoing, and the company is taking steps to comply with the ruling while ensuring customers have access to the Apple Watch with limited disruption.The dispute arose after the United States International Trade Commission (USITC) ordered a ban on some Apple Watch imports into the US, ruling that Apple violated Masimo patents related to non-invasive blood oxygen sensing. Apple has been working on a software fix to address the issue, but Masimo believes that a hardware change is necessary to address the patent violations.
As a result of this dispute, the ability to measure blood oxygen is no longer available on Apple Watch units sold by Apple in the US on or after January 18, 2024. The Blood Oxygen app on these watches will occasionally measure blood oxygen levels if the feature was available before the ban.
What Is Masimo’s Blood Oxygen Detection?
Masimo’s blood oxygen detection function is a key feature of its pulse oximetry technology, which is used to measure the oxygen saturation (SpO2) in the blood. Masimo’s SET® (Signal Extraction Technology) is designed to identify the venous blood signal, isolate it, and use adaptive filters to extract the arterial blood signal, providing accurate and reliable oxygen saturation readings, even during challenging conditions of motion and low perfusion. This technology is used in various products, including the Masimo W1 Sport wearable, which offers accurate and continuous health data, including oxygen levels in the blood, for consumers interested in monitoring their health and fitness. The company’s pulse oximetry technology is also widely used in hospitals and has been shown to outperform other pulse oximetry technologies in various studies.
Masimo’s blood oxygen detection function is a key feature of its pulse oximetry technology, which is used to measure the oxygen saturation (SpO2) in the blood. is technology is used in various products, including the Masimo W1 Sport wearable, which offers accurate and continuous health data, which due to patent rights is under
