Is the Apple Watch Patented?

Quick answer

Yes — extensive portfolio

Yes. Apple holds 1,000+ patents on the Apple Watch — but Masimo successfully sued in 2023 over blood-oximetry patents (US 10,470,695, etc.), forcing Apple to disable the SpO2 feature in U.S.-sold units.

The full story

The Masimo case is the biggest patent loss Apple has suffered in years. The ITC ruled the Apple Watch's blood-oxygen sensor infringed Masimo's pulse-oximetry patents and banned Watch imports until Apple disabled the SpO2 function. Apple is appealing while shipping a software-disabled version of the Watch — a vivid reminder that even the largest tech company in the world can be blocked by a focused medical-device patent portfolio.

Key patents on the Apple Watch Ultra 2

Every patent number below is a live USPTO record — click through to read the original claims on Google Patents.

1. US 10,470,695 (2019) — Pulse-oximetry monitor with non-invasive optical sensor (Masimo). Status: active.

What to know

• The Masimo SpO2 dispute is the rare case where a medical-device incumbent beat Apple in court — a lesson about underestimating specialized patent portfolios.
• Apple's own "Digital Crown" rotation patent is what stops competitors from shipping an identical-feeling crown — Samsung's bezel rotation is the workaround.

Have your own invention idea?

If a product like Apple Watch Ultra 2can get patent protection, your idea probably can too — assuming it’s novel. The cheapest first step is a provisional patent application, which locks in your priority date for 12 months while you validate the market. LegalZoom files provisionals from $199 + USPTO fees; you can also read the official USPTO patent basics first if you prefer.

Scan my idea for freeFile a provisional from $199

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