The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) has opened a new investigation into Apple’s modified blood oxygen sensing feature on its Apple Watch, reigniting a bitter patent dispute with medical technology company Masimo despite Apple’s attempts to circumvent a prior ban.
The move comes after Apple reintroduced a redesigned blood oxygen measurement function to the U.S. market in August, approximately 18 months after the feature was initially removed due to a patent infringement lawsuit filed by Masimo.
The ITC confirmed it has initiated a “joint modification and enforcement proceeding.” Its purpose is to evaluate whether Apple’s new implementation complies with the conditions of the original ban.
Masimo filed a new complaint, asserting that Apple’s revised solution remains in violation of its patents.
The federal agency stated that conditions have changed because Apple is now selling a modified model that was not assessed in the original investigation. This change necessitates a new review, which will be the sole focus of the current proceeding.
The ITC will examine the Apple Watch’s behavior as a standalone product and its functionality when interacting with an iPhone.
Apple’s modified approach for the blood oxygen feature involves initiating the reading on the Apple Watch while the sensors collect data. However, the results are no longer displayed directly on the watch. Instead, they are made available in the “Respiration” section of the Health application on the paired iPhone.
Apple firmly opposes Masimo’s latest action. A company spokesperson indicated that Masimo is attempting to persuade the ITC to prevent U.S. consumers from accessing “essential health features.”
Apple also noted that Masimo’s initial complaint to the ITC was based on a Masimo watch model that did not exist at the time. The tech giant further highlighted a 2024 jury decision that found Masimo’s W1 and Freedom watches had “deliberately violated” Apple’s smartwatch design patents. The W1 model is no longer sold to the public.
The ITC expects to issue its decision on this matter within six months.