Apple Won't Face AliveCor Antitrust Lawsuit Over Apple Watch Heart Rate Technology

[lkrupp]

Which textbooks are you reading? AliveCor had prior, a working device and had the band (both of which I used) before Apple integrated that functionality into its watches. The original device AliveCor had was nothing short of magic. It's a clear case of Sherlocking if nothing else. Will be interesting to see if patents were violated. Either way, AliveCor was there first so one can hardly call them a patent troll.

Of course the lawsuit was NOT about patents but alleged anti-competitive behavior.

 

[Glideslope]

Well, thank god for that.

But I wouldn't be surprised if, at some point, Apple faced antitrust lawsuits over Apple Watch being a watch.

You joke, but it’s not out of the realm of possibility.

 

[wood1208]

Apple must defeat Masimo oxygen sensing patent infringement suit.

 

[cocky jeremy]

Well, thank god for that.

But I wouldn't be surprised if, at some point, Apple faced antitrust lawsuits over Apple Watch being a watch.

Only in the EU.

 

[MVMNT]

When you want to improve a core offering of your own product, but 3rd parties that have competing products inside your own ecosystem want to hold you back.

 

[thejoshuabradshaw]

bum bump bum bump whine......................
Maybe Epic can join in on the fun.

 

[azpekt]

Makes me appreciate my Garmin Epix even more - looks like all those IP vultures forgot about them

Good!

 

[latweek]

I think you’re misunderstanding the case.

Or are you misunderstanding the case? If you have evidence that Apple's "improved framework" was actually improved, let's see it. Meanwhile I havent seen a credible explanation from Apple in defense of the accusation, only an indignance that they are "too big to regulate".

The algorithm was virtually the same on the first four versions of watchOS, but, with the introduction of the Series 4 Apple Watch and Apple's introduction of its competing heartrate analysis app, Apple released watchOS5, which, among other things, "updated" the Watch's heartrate algorithm. That update did not improve the user experience for Apple Watch purchasers; instead, its purpose and effect was simply to prevent third parties from identifying irregular heartrate situations and, thus, from offering competing heartrate analysis apps.

Prior to Apple's alleged sabotage, AliveCor says that its SmartRhythm app was "simply better at identifying worrisome heart-related health events," and could have successfully competed with the ECG function built into the Apple watch. AliveCor was forced to pull SmartRhythm from the ‌App Store‌ because the irregular rhythm functionality no longer worked.