ITC Dismisses Masimo's Review Request

The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) has ruled in Apple's favor, declining to review a preliminary March ruling that Apple's redesigned Apple Watches do not infringe Masimo's blood-oxygen patents. The decision effectively closes Masimo's latest effort to reinstate an import ban on the tech giant's wearables.

Apple welcomed the ruling, stating it ensures the company can "continue to offer this important health feature" to users, and noting that "nearly all" of Masimo's claims over a six-year legal campaign have been rejected. Masimo, owned by Danaher, declined to comment but retains the right to appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.

Why It Matters: Apple Watch Health Features at Stake

The blood-oxygen (SpO2) monitoring feature sits at the heart of Apple Watch's health proposition. Any reimposed ban would have forced Apple to strip the feature again, denting its competitive edge in the smartwatch market.

The current implementation differs from the original: health data from the blood-oxygen reader is displayed on paired iPhone devices rather than the watch itself — a design change made to minimize patent exposure.

Separately, Masimo has sued U.S. Customs over its approval of the redesigned watches, and won a $634 million verdict against Apple in a California federal patent trial last November. Apple has said it will appeal that verdict.

How This Dispute Began

The conflict traces back to the late 2010s, when Masimo accused Apple of poaching its employees to steal pulse-oximetry technology. In December 2023, the ITC found Apple's Series 9 and Ultra 2 watches infringed Masimo's patents and blocked their imports. Apple responded by removing the blood-oxygen feature entirely, then reintroduced a modified version in August 2024 with Customs approval. Masimo challenged that approval and pursued this latest ITC review — both of which have now been rebuffed.