- Apple is close to winning a patent infringement trial against medical technology company Masimo
- The case centers on whether Apple stole trade secrets from Masimo when developing the Apple Watch.
- The jury was unable to reach a verdict.
- Masimo could decide to retry the case if the Allen charge is not invoked.
The Masimo v. Apple trial is close to ending in a mistrial, with six of seven jurors voting to clear Apple of misconduct regarding stolen trade secrets, according to a report from Bloomberg‘s Joe Schneider.
According to the report, Apple’s lawyer, Joe Mueller, has urged the judge to grant an Allen charge, which would force the jurors to reach a consensus. The report further details that US District Judge James Selna in Santa Ana, California, has refused to grant the Allen charge, citing excessive coercion as the key reason behind his decision.
Masimo is at a critical crossroad following the looming mistrial. Masimo could decide to retry the case, or they could settle with Apple if a mistrial is declared. If Apple can convince the judge to invoke the Allen charge, Apple could win the case freeing the iPhone maker from having to pay any damages. The Masimo v. Apple case raises important questions regarding trade secret protection and patent infringement, particularly in the consumer tech industry.
Masimo Corporation, a medical technology company, filed a lawsuit against Apple Inc. in 2017, alleging that Apple had stolen trade secrets and infringed on its patents related to technology for measuring blood oxygen levels. The trial began in April 2023 and lasted three weeks before reaching a stalemate.
Masimo argued that Apple had hired two of its former employees, who had access to confidential information about Masimo’s technology, and that Apple used this information to develop its blood oxygen sensor for the Apple Watch Series 6 and later. Masimo also alleged that Apple had infringed on its patents related to this core technology.
The Masimo v. Apple case has officially ended in a mistrial. After the mistrial was declared, Apple thanked the jury in a statement: “We deeply respect intellectual property and innovation and do not take or use confidential information from other companies,” the Silicon Valley giant said. “We are pleased that the court correctly rejected half of the plaintiffs’ trade secret allegations and will now ask the court to dismiss the remaining claims.”
This article was updated with additional information on May 1.
