Apple CEO Tim Cook said the company has no intention of seeking a license to use Masimo's blood oxygen detection technology in an effort to end the import ban on the Apple Watch. Masimo has been embroiled in patent litigation, which recently led to the import ban of the Apple Watch equipped with a blood oxygen sensor. Apple chose to disable the sensor to continue sales rather than take any other measures.
Apple CEO Tim Cook said in a statement shared with CNBC Live that Apple has no intention of licensing Masimo's patents. While it's likely this has been decided long ago, the company hasn't said it publicly until now.
"We're focused on appeal. Even without a blood oxygen sensor, there are many reasons to buy this watch," Cook said in a statement.
Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 are still on sale in the United States due to an import ban issued by the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC). However, these models on sale have the blood oxygen sensor blocked through software.
Apple Watch models sold before the import ban took effect on January 18, 2024 still have the blood oxygen detection function. While Apple has yet to confirm this, it seems likely that the blood oxygen detection feature will be added back via a software update if the import ban ends.
Masimo's CEO has said the company is willing to settle with Apple, but no conversations have yet begun. Now, Apple clearly has no intention of negotiating.