Apple focused on appealing Apple Watch blood oxygen ban - not settling with Masimo

Tim Cook has suggested that Apple won't negotiate a settlement with Masimo to end the ongoing patent dispute, instead noting that the company will continue to fight the ban on the Apple Watch's blood oxygen feature.

In a television interview with CNBC following Apple's Q1 2024 earnings, Cook said: "We're focused on appeal. There's lots of reasons to buy the watch even without the blood oxygen sensor."

The Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 recently returned to store shelves in the US following the International Trade Commission (ITC) ruling that Apple's technology infringed upon patents from health startup Masimo, though the smartwatches are now shipping without access to the Blood Oxygen app.

Masimo CEO Joe Kiani recently told Bloomberg that his company is open to an agreement with Apple, but that the Cupertino giant had refused to engage in "serious discussions about a settlement" thus far.

Cook's latest comments would back up that suggestion - and it could mean the dispute winds up being a protracted one. 

At least at this stage, though, the blood oxygen sensor ban isn't one that's affecting Apple's sales too much, despite the watches being pulled from Apple's online and brick-and-mortar stores briefly in December.

Apple reported that its Wearables, Home and Accessories category brought in $11.95 billion in revenue for Q1 2024 (which ended on 31 December), surpassing expectations of $11.39 billion.

The long-term outlook, of course, is less clear. But we do at least have a bit more clarity on Apple's position.