Apple and Masimo Lock Horns Over Apple Watch Blood Oxygen Sensor
Apple is no stranger to legal disputes, and its latest tussle involves a rather crucial aspect of its smartwatches – the blood oxygen sensor. The tech giant is currently embroiled in a patent battle with health tech company Masimo, and the stakes are high. Masimo CEO Joe Kiani recently made headlines by publicly criticizing Apple’s sensor, going as far as to say that consumers are “Better off without it”.
Kiani’s comments, aired on Bloomberg TV, have certainly added fuel to the fire. He expressed concerns about the reliability of Apple’s sensor, casting doubt on its accuracy. This comes at a time when Apple has opted to disable blood oxygen monitoring on its Apple Watch 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2, a move aimed at keeping these devices available for purchase during the legal wrangling.
One of Kiani’s primary gripes with Apple’s sensor is its intermittent nature. He argues that the pulse oximeter in the Apple Watch doesn’t provide continuous measurements, thereby detracting from its usefulness in health monitoring. In response, Apple has defended its approach, stating that intermittent readings and manual spot-checks suffice for the intended purpose of the sensor. The tech giant emphasizes the importance of cross-referencing against high-quality data for accuracy, rather than continuous monitoring.
Despite Masimo’s reservations, a study highlighted by 9to5Mac has lauded the Apple Watch sensor’s capability to reliably detect reduced blood oxygen saturation. The study also commended the sensor as being “sufficiently advanced” to rival medical-grade technology. However, it’s worth noting that the sensor has yet to receive formal approval for medical use.
The standoff between Apple and Masimo doesn’t seem to be nearing resolution anytime soon. Kiani divulged that there have been no discussions with Apple regarding a potential settlement, indicating that this legal saga is far from reaching a conclusion. With both companies entrenched in their positions, it remains to be seen how this dispute will unfold and what implications it may have for the future of wearable health technology.
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