Apple now faces a major setback in its long-running patent battle with Masimo. A federal jury in California awarded Masimo $634 million after finding that Apple Watch units infringed on Masimo’s pulse oximeter patent. The decision came after years of arguments over how the Apple Watch should be classified and whether it fell under the definition of a “patient monitor.”
Jurors focused heavily on this single point. Masimo argued that the Apple Watch qualifies as a patient monitor because it reads blood oxygen levels and detects physiological events with high sensitivity. Apple pushed back and said a patient monitor is a medical device designed for continuous clinical use.
Daily Journal reported that Apple even said, “The essential characteristic of all patient monitors is that they cannot miss important medical events.”
How the Jury Reached the Verdict
Masimo leaned on Apple’s own product behavior to strengthen its case. Lawyers pointed to the Apple Watch’s high heart rate alert system, which they said detects high heart rates at rest with about 95 percent sensitivity. Masimo claimed this showed the watch acted like a patient monitor. Apple countered by saying the alert only activates after a user stays still for at least 10 minutes, making it different from clinical devices that track data without pause.
In court, Apple also argued that the feature at the center of the debate was unrelated to Masimo’s blood oxygen patent. But Masimo used this heart rate example to establish that the Apple Watch meets the definition of a patient monitor under the patent. The jury accepted that argument and concluded Apple infringed on Masimo’s expired patent number 10,433,776.
The verdict covers about 43 million Apple Watch units sold between 2020 and 2022. Apple wanted the damages capped at roughly $3 to $6 million. Masimo asked for as much as $749 million. Jurors ultimately aligned with Masimo’s range and chose $634 million.
What Masimo and Apple Said After the Ruling
Masimo celebrated the decision. The company said the outcome is a “significant win in our ongoing efforts to protect our innovations and intellectual property.” The company has been fighting Apple in multiple courts for years, including a separate process with the International Trade Commission.
Apple strongly disagreed with the ruling. The company told Reuters, “Masimo has sued Apple in multiple courts and asserted over 25 patents, the majority of which have been found to be invalid.” Apple also said the patent involved in this case “expired in 2022, and is specific to historic patient monitoring technology from decades ago.” Apple plans to appeal.
This case remains separate from the ITC dispute over Apple Watch blood oxygen features. That review could shape how future Apple Watch models enter the market.
