Masimo Sues Customs Over Apple Watch Imports Amid Patent Dispute

Masimo, a medical monitoring tech company, has sued US Customs and Border Protection over the agency's decision to allow Apple to import Apple Watches with blood-oxygen reading technology during a patent dispute between the two companies. Masimo claims Customs improperly reversed its own decision from last year without notification. The case is ongoing, with Masimo separately suing Apple for patent infringement and trade secret theft.

Medical monitoring technology company Masimo has filed a lawsuit against U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) over the agency's decision to allow Apple to import Apple Watches with blood-oxygen reading technology during a patent dispute between the two companies. Masimo alleges that CBP improperly reversed its own decision from last year without notifying Masimo [1].

The lawsuit, filed in Washington, D.C., federal court, argues that CBP's decision to approve the watches with the blood-oxygen feature violates an International Trade Commission (ITC) exclusion order that blocked Apple's Series 9 and Ultra 2 smartwatches based on patent infringement claims [2]. Masimo had previously convinced the ITC to block imports of Apple's smartwatches due to alleged infringement of its pulse oximetry patents [1].

Masimo's lawsuit contends that CBP acted unlawfully by reversing its earlier decision without providing any meaningful justification or notifying Masimo. The company is seeking to halt CBP's ruling and reinstate the block on Apple Watches with blood-oxygen tracking [1].

This legal battle comes amid a long-running patent dispute between Masimo and Apple, with Masimo accusing Apple of poaching employees and stealing trade secrets to integrate the blood-oxygen feature into the Apple Watch [2]. Apple has continued to sell redesigned watches in the U.S. without the blood-oxygen function, while unaffected models remained available internationally [2].

The case highlights the ongoing tension between technological innovation and intellectual property rights in the digital health space. Apple has positioned the Apple Watch as a critical health and wellness device, with rivals like Samsung and Alphabet's Google also advancing health-focused smartwatch features [2].

References:
[1] https://www.cnbc.com/2025/08/21/masimo-sues-us-customs-over-approval-of-apple-watch-imports.html
[2] https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/08/47252149/apple-restores-blood-oxygen-tracking-to-watch-after-customs-ruling-masimo-strikes-back-with-lawsuit-over-patent-rights