Could the Apple Watch be banned? Apple is in trouble over a new feature that tracks blood oxygen levels.
Apple’s popular smartwatch Apple Watch Series 6 and beyond is facing a new patent crisis. According to the latest lawsuit filed in the US, Apple has used unauthorized patents for products that measure blood oxygen levels. If the company Masimo wins the case, Apple Watch could be banned in the US.
Apple Watch in trouble over oxygen tracking feature
Apple Watch Series 6 and later models can track blood oxygen levels thanks to a pulse oximetry feature. But Masimo, a brand that produces medical products, claimed that Apple was using its patents. The two companies are in a legal dispute over the Watch Series 6 and later.
Masimo accused Apple of stealing patents related to pulse oximetry and sued the tech giant. The case at the US International Trade Commission (ITC) found that Apple infringed one of Masimo’s patents.
The ITC has not yet decided whether to ban the import of Apple Watch models that monitor blood oxygen levels. However, Masimo CEO Joe Kiani said that this decision will help restore fairness in the market.
Kiani also described Apple as a company that steals other companies’ innovations and earns revenue from them. Although Apple has not made an official statement on the matter, it plans to appeal the case. Let us remind you that Watch Series 6 and other models are not yet banned.
Another claim that emerged a while ago showed that the Apple Watch sensor that measures blood oxygen levels does not work efficiently in people with dark skin color. According to the lawsuit, such devices have long had problems measuring blood oxygen levels based on skin color.
