Apple Ordered to Pay Masimo $634 Million in Patent Infringement Case

A U.S. federal judge has rejected Apple's bid to overturn a jury's decision ordering the company to pay $634 million to Masimo for patent infringement. U.S. District Judge James V. Selna denied Apple's motion to set aside the jury's verdict and refused a request for a new trial.

The ruling is the latest development in a long-running legal battle between Apple and medical technology company Masimo, which dates back to 2020. Masimo accused Apple of misappropriating trade secrets and infringing on patents related to its pulse oximetry technology, which is incorporated into the Apple Watch.

The jury had previously found that the blood oxygen monitoring feature in certain Apple Watch models infringed upon a Masimo patent. Apple had argued that its device did not qualify as a "patient monitoring system" as required by the patent. However, Judge Selna sided with the jury's interpretation, stating that the Apple Watch could be considered a patient monitoring device based on the broader meaning of the patent.

This patent dispute previously led to an import ban on Apple Watch models with blood oxygen sensing capabilities in the U.S. after an International Trade Commission (ITC) ruling in 2023. Apple temporarily halted sales before resuming with modified products that excluded the disputed functionality.

Judge Selna also dismissed Apple's arguments concerning erroneous jury instructions and the exclusion of expert testimony, determining that these issues did not rise to the level required for a new trial.