Masimo files lawsuit over Apple's 'redesigned' blood oxygen monitoring feature

Masimo, a medical technology company, has filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (USCBP) days after Apple released its redesigned blood oxygen monitoring feature for the Apple Watch Series 9, Series 10, and Watch Ultra 2 models. The lawsuit is the latest development in the ongoing legal battle between Masimo and Apple. Masimo had previously sued Apple in 2021, accusing the tech giant of infringing on several of its light-based blood oxygen monitoring patents. After a court sided with Masimo in 2023, Apple was forced to stop selling the Watch Series 9 and the Ultra 2 in the U.S. for a few weeks. To circumvent the import ban, Apple removed the Blood Oxygen app for the affected watch models sold in the U.S. However, Apple recently introduced a "redesigned Blood Oxygen feature" that works by measuring and calculating data from the watches' sensors on their paired iPhones. Masimo argues that USCBP exceeded its authority in allowing the import of the devices with the redesigned feature, as the agency typically requires both sides to be heard before making such decisions. Masimo is now seeking an injunction to prevent the import of the devices unless their blood oxygen-tracking function is disabled.