As a U.S. ban looms just days away, Apple Inc. is undertaking an urgent rescue mission for its $17 billion smartwatch business. The impending ban, slated to hit on Christmas, stems from a dispute with Masimo Corp. over alleged patent infringement related to the smartwatch’s blood oxygen level measurement feature according to Time.com.
Apple engineers are intensively reworking algorithms to address the contested technology, modifying how it calculates oxygen saturation and presents data to users. This high-stakes engineering effort, unprecedented for Apple, could severely impact one of its major revenue streams domestically.
Unless the White House intervenes before December 25th, an International Trade Commission ban will take effect. While settlement with Masimo is an option, Apple is presently focused on technological modifications and seeking regulatory approval.
Reporting for WGRT – Choze Powell
