A federal court ruling in favor of Apple has put an end to the long-standing dispute with AliveCor, avoiding a potential import ban on the Apple Watch. The ruling, issued on Friday, invalidated AliveCor’s claims of patent infringement by Apple. Apple expressed gratitude for the court’s decision, highlighting its ongoing commitment to developing health and safety features for its users. The company emphasized the millions of users benefiting from the health features on the Apple Watch and expressed relief that it can continue to offer important heart monitoring features.
In 2020, AliveCor accused Apple of using patented information to create the AFib detection feature in Apple Watch Series 4 and later models, leading to a ban on Apple Watch being sought. The US Patent Office’s Trial and Appeals Board sided with Apple in 2022, but an ITC judge ruled in AliveCor’s favor, leading to an Exclusion Order on Apple. The enforcement was suspended pending review by the US Patent Trial and Appeal Board, which had previously invalidated AliveCor’s patent claims.
Apple retaliated in December 2022 by filing a countersuit against AliveCor, claiming patent infringement. In 2024, US District Judge Jeffery White ruled in favor of Apple in an antitrust lawsuit, affirming that Apple did not violate any AliveCor patents in Apple Watch models with redesigned ECGs. AliveCor expressed disappointment in the ruling and stated that they are exploring legal options, including potential appeals.
The timeline for appeals following the recent ruling from the appeals court remains uncertain.