Joe Kiani, the CEO of Masimo, a medical device manufacturer, recently gave an interview to the Wall Street Journal regarding the company’s lawsuit against Apple for patent infringement on blood oxygen level sensors. The dispute led to the United States International Trade Commission (ITC) imposing a short-lived ban on the import of Apple Watch into the US. However, a recent court ruling has allowed Apple to resume sales of the Apple Watch.
Kiani stated that Masimo initiated legal action against Apple in 2020 when the company introduced the Apple Watch Series 6, which featured a blood oxygen level monitoring feature. To date, Masimo has incurred over $100 million in litigation expenses, a substantial amount for a company with a profit of $144 million in the past year. Despite being warned by those around him to fight a legal battle against Apple, Kiani believes in his company’s capabilities and its ability to challenge Apple.
Masimo has a history of winning patent infringement cases related to blood oxygen level sensors. In 2006, Nellcor agreed to pay Masimo $800 million in damages after nearly seven years of litigation. Similarly, in 2016, Royal Philips paid Masimo $300 million in damages and entered into a licensing agreement worth over $1 billion. These cases also took almost seven years to resolve.
With this track record, Kiani is confident that his company will emerge victorious in the fight against Apple.
TLDR: Masimo’s CEO, Joe Kiani, opens up about the company’s ongoing patent infringement lawsuit against Apple over blood oxygen level sensors. Despite facing significant legal expenses, Kiani remains confident in Masimo’s ability to challenge Apple and win the case, drawing inspiration from the company’s past success in similar litigations. The recent court ruling has allowed Apple to resume sales of the Apple Watch.
Leave a Comment