Comment Re:true scumbags. (Score 1) 17
I'm not so sure. I read up on the history, the ban is based on debateable info. Such as Apple hiring talent from a company that worked with Masimo, not Masimo itself. No apparent trade secrets were transferred, and even the idea itself had prior art just not put into a smart watch which might not actually hold up on appeal for the patent because it might be considered obvious to take a wrist strapped sensor and put it in an already on your wrist watch. From what I can tell, the only thing Masimo might have innovated here is just that, putting already existing sensor that had been around since the 70's in mass production and strapped to wrists in clinical environments and put it in a watch. IDK that I buy that.
This case definitely needs to go through an appeals process. Apple isn't obviously in the wrong here and there are a pile of counter claims Apple might make against Masimo for things that Apple first put into smart watches that are magically in the Masimo watch.
I'm not exactly sure Masimo's tactic here, they don't seem like they'd want to force Apple to buy them. Maybe they're just wanting to force a license on the tech at a favorable rate
I'm not saying Apple is a 'nice' company. I really don't see them voluntarily agrees to an extortion license. I would expect them to battle it out in court and simultaneously make a play for a big stock buy ie hostile takover if not outright purchase of Masimo.