AliveCor Praises Apple Watch Ban as It Conducts Its Own ECG Health Tech Patent Battle With Apple

Health technology company AliveCor is on the sidelines praising the International Trade Commission (ITC) for its ban on imports and sales of the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 in the United States.

AliveCor is waging a legal battle of its own against Apple and its Apple Watch, and it is also health technology-related. While Maismo has accused Apple of stealing its blood oxygen technology, AliveCor accuses Apple of breaching its patent for ECG technology.

AliveCor unveiled an Apple Watch band with a built-in ECG sensor to Apple in 2015. In 2018 Apple unveiled the Apple Watch Series 4, which included its own built-in ECG capabilities. AliveCor then argued that Apple had infringed on its technology and asked the ITC to ban Apple Watch sales in the United States. AliveCor also filed an antitrust suit against Apple, which alleged that the Cupertino company was making it needlessly difficult for third-party apps to access the Apple Watch’s heart rate data.

In a statement to 9to5Mac, AliveCor expressed its support for Masimo and praised the ITC’s ban on Apple Watch sales:

This is the second time in less than 12 months President Biden has allowed an International Trade Commission Limited Exclusion Order (LEO) to stand against imports of Apple Watches that violate the patents of small U.S. innovators. Earlier this year, AliveCor’s patent for its FDA-cleared personal electrocardiogram (ECG) technology was similarly affirmed and we share our support today for Masimo’s tenacity in its face off with Apple. Innovator companies and health consumers alike should be encouraged that industry giants are increasingly being held accountable for anticompetitive practices that would ultimately limit access to potentially life-saving technology.

Although the ITC ruled in favor of AliveCor’s patent infringement claims, the end result was not a ban on Apple Watch sales as AliveCor hoped.

(Via MacRumors)

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