Apple Watch Infringed AliveCor’s ECG Patent Rules ITC

The International Trade Commission (ITC) has just ruled that Apple infringed on health tech company AliveCor’s ECG patents, which could threaten sales of the Apple Watch in the US, 9to5Mac is reporting.

Apple and AliveCor have been fighting a patent battle since last year, which has now resulted in a Limited Exclusion Order against the iPhone maker.

The ITC has also issued a cease and desist order that can ban Apple from importing patent-infringing Apple Watch models into the US. This would prevent Apple from selling Apple Watch Series 8 and Apple Watch Ultra models in the US, as both feature an ECG sensor.

ITC rules that Apple Watch infringed AliveCor’s ECG patent, US sales potentially threatened https://t.co/lMLjDxckKc by @filipeesposito

— 9to5Mac (@9to5mac)

December 23, 2022

The ITC decision is a victory not only for the company but also for “other small innovative companies” and also for consumers, said AliveCor in a statement.

This ruling has resulted in a Limited Exclusion Order and cease and desist orderbarring Apple from importing infringing Apple Watches into the U.S., potentially impacting sales of millions of devices. Although the ITC has suspended enforcement of the LEO until all appeals have been exhausted, today’s news is a victory for AliveCor, for other small innovator companies, and for consumers who deserve to have choices for how to manage their cardiac health.

In response, Apple has issued the following statement, noting that it “firmly disagrees” with the ITC’s decision and that it continues to believe that AliveCor’s patents are “invalid.”

At Apple, our teams work tirelessly to create the best products and services in the world, with technology that empowers users with industry-leading health, wellness and safety features. While we firmly disagree with the ITC’s decision today, we are pleased that the exclusion order has been put on pause, consistent with past precedent. The patents on which AliveCor’s case rest have been found invalid, and for that reason, we should ultimately prevail in this matter.

Earlier his year, AliveCor also filed an antitrust lawsuit against Apple, claiming that it was blocking competitor apps by restricting third-party app access to the heart-rate monitor.