Masimo Wins its Legal Battle Against Apple and is Set to Receive a Cheque for $634 million
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Masimo, which has been headquartered in Neuchâtel since 2008 and employs over 100 staff there at the heart of the Swiss Health Valley, has just won one of the most closely watched legal cases in the technology industry. The US courts have definitively dismissed Apple’s appeal, confirming that the Californian firm must pay $634 million to the medical technology company for patent infringement.
The dispute dates back to 2020. Masimo accused Apple of incorporating its pulse oximetry technology – used to measure blood oxygen levels – into the Apple Watch. Federal Judge James V. Selna upheld a broad interpretation of the term ‘patient monitor’, ruling that it applied equally to hospital equipment and consumer-grade connected devices. Apple, which had argued for a more restrictive definition limited to clinical equipment, has thus seen its case definitively dismissed.
To continue selling its watches in the United States despite the ITC’s ruling, Apple had to act swiftly: disabling the oximeter function via a software update from 2024, followed by a technical overhaul in 2025 that would shift sensor data processing to the iPhone. However, this workaround was not sufficient to overturn the financial penalty.
Founded in 1989 and with over 6,000 employees worldwide Masimo develops non-invasive patient monitoring technologies, an area of expertise recognised for over three decades. Its Neuchâtel site, with about 100 employees, remains a cornerstone of its European operations. More than 200 million patients worldwide are monitored using Masimo SET® pulse oximetry every year.
It should be noted that the company has since changed hands: Masimo was acquired by the US giant Danaher in June 2026 for nearly $9.9 billion. The $634 million secured from Apple thus strengthens the financial prospects of its new parent company.