Apple has brought its fight with medical tech firm Masimo over a patent to a U.S. appeals court. They want the court to stop a trade ruling that made them turn off the blood-oxygen tool on their new smartwatches. The legal fight focuses on the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) finding that Apple used Masimo's pulse oximetry patents without okay.
Main Point from Apple Masimo Had No Rival Watch
At the court, Apple argued that the sales stop was not fair. Their lawyer, Joseph Mueller, said Masimo did not have a smartwatch for sale using these patents when they complained to the ITC in 2021. Apple thinks Masimo's rival watch was just an idea back then, so the ITC's decision was on weak grounds.
Masimo's Side Apple Took Ideas
Masimo insists that Apple took its employees and its pulse oximetry tech after talks of working together. Masimo's lawyer, Joseph Re, said Apple is trying to "change the law" with this legal move. During the talk, the judges also asked Masimo if their device progress made the ITC's total ban on Apple's goods seem fair.
What the ITC Ban Did
Here's a quick look at the main points:
- First Decision: In 2023, the ITC said some Apple Watch models used Masimo's patents for checking blood-oxygen.
- Affected Watches: The ban hit the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2.
- Apple's Fix: To keep selling in the U.S., Apple made new versions of these watches in 2024 without the pulse oximetry feature.
- Apple's Current Legal Move: Apple now wants to undo the ITC's choice so the blood-oxygen tool can work for U.S. buyers.
What's at Stake and What Might Happen
Apple says the ban has kept many from a main health tool. They told the court that the ITC's choice had big flaws in how they saw the patents. What the court decides will show if Apple can turn the blood-oxygen tool back on for watches sold in the U.S., or if this feature stays off until maybe a deal is made. Apple's CEO, Tim Cook, has said he doesn’t plan to go after such a deal.