Masimo has teamed up with Google on SpO2 tracking – as its litigation with Apple continues
Seeing health startups partner with major brands is nothing new in the wearables space, but Masimo’s recent run-ins with Apple make its just-announced collaboration with Qualcomm and Google an incredibly fascinating development.
For those who need a bit of a refresher on the topic, Masimo sought a ruling from the International Trade Commission in 2023 blocking Apple’s Blood Oxygen app in the US due to a patent infringement. That proved successful, with the Series 9 and Ultra 2 temporarily forced off store shelves in the US last December.
One of the last major developments from Apple’s side was back in February when CEO Tim Cook said the company was focused on appealing the ban. A 916-page appeal followed in April, but there’s still been no resolution – and why the Apple Watch Series 10 doesn’t offer the feature.
As announced by Masimo, though, it will now work with Qualcomm – as well as fighting Apple – to develop a new reference platform for Wear OS vendors, saying: “OEMs will be able to more efficiently build and bring high-performing Wear OS smartwatches to market.”
Essentially, Masimo looks set to lay all the foundational groundwork for biosensing in the next generation of Wear OS devices. Apple has so far been reluctant to license Masimo’s tech, and this probably spells an end to any potential agreement there.
While Apple develops a different solution, then, it seems Google may be able to gain an advantage in health tracking. But watch this space for more over the coming year or so.
