A U.S. federal appeals court has dismissed a lawsuit filed by medical technology startup AliveCor, which claimed that Apple had illegally monopolized the U.S. market for heart-monitoring apps for the Apple Watch. This marks a win for Apple in its ongoing legal battles with AliveCor, which has accused the tech giant of antitrust and intellectual property infringement. Apple stated that the outcome confirms that its actions were not anticompetitive. The details of the judgment remain sealed, but a redacted version is expected to be made public soon. AliveCor plans to appeal the ruling.
This ruling provides temporary relief for Apple, which has recently faced legal setbacks over its watch technology. The Apple Watch is one of the company’s best-selling products and a leading player in the global wearable medical device market, projected to be worth $132.5 billion by 2031. Despite the challenges, Apple CEO Tim Cook has expressed confidence in the watch business, stating that there are many reasons to buy the watch even without the blood oxygen sensor, which has been a focus of scrutiny from courts and competitors.
One of the major legal disputes surrounding the Apple Watch involves AliveCor. In 2021, the company filed an antitrust lawsuit against Apple over the heart-monitoring technology used in the watch. The lawsuit is part of a series of legal battles between the two companies, with AliveCor accusing Apple of monopolistic practices. However, with the recent dismissal of the lawsuit, Apple has been given some respite.
Overall, while Apple faces ongoing legal challenges regarding its watch technology, the recent dismissal of the lawsuit filed by AliveCor provides a positive outcome for the tech giant. It remains to be seen how these legal battles will unfold in the future and how they will impact the competitive landscape of the wearable medical device market.
