• Masimo, the company that sued Apple over patent infringement, has unveiled its own blood oxygen monitoring smartwatch called the Masimo Freedom.
  • The Masimo Freedom is a health-focused device that can track blood oxygen levels, hydration index, respiration rate, pulse rate variability, pulse rate, steps, and detect falls.
  • The smartwatch is currently in prototype stage and will be available for sale later this year at a price of $999.

Archive link: https://archive.ph/aOUXX

  • philpo@feddit.de
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    153
    arrow-down
    6
    ·
    8 months ago

    In the name of every medical professional out there:

    Fuck Masimo. You piece of shit garbage company.

    Masimo does strategically patent troll other companies to keep their monopoly on oxygen saturation technology, deliver a subpar product that is very likely designed with planned obsolescence (which actively endangers patients). It’s an absolute shit show.

      • philpo@feddit.de
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        9
        ·
        edit-2
        8 months ago

        It’s more about the medical field - we use more precise equipment than can measure a bit more. And very likely Samsung has to pay somone even for the smartwatch version.

    • AA5B@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      6
      ·
      8 months ago

      Patent trolling Apple doesn’t seem like a winning move. Can they really sell a smartwatch without infringing on anything in Apple’s patent portfolio? The revenge will be swift and terrifying

        • AA5B@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          1
          ·
          8 months ago

          ThTs usually the way things work, but that didn’t happen here (obviously). We don’t know who tried to get better terms or who rejected terms

      • cybersandwich@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        1
        ·
        8 months ago

        They aren’t a patent troll. This is literally their business. They are sueing apple becsuse they are violating their patent and could have or has had a negative impact on their business. This is the kind of suit patents were designed for.

        Patent trolls buy up patents but produce nothing and do nothing with those parents–except for suing people to make money.

  • Langehund@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    125
    arrow-down
    3
    ·
    8 months ago

    I feel like they’d have made more money by licensing their patent to Apple rather than trying to sell a watch for a ridiculous $999 price tag. I’m not saying they were wrong for their patent lawsuit, and it’s nice to see that small companies can still win, but I just don’t see this early product getting enough sales for them to profit.

    • Joker@discuss.tchncs.de
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      15
      ·
      8 months ago

      Nobody is buying this and I don’t think they are trying very hard to sell it either. Notice that this pricing is only in the U.S. This seems like a ploy to bolster their case for damages and/or royalties in a settlement. Or maybe just part of their patent defense strategy. This company is primarily in medical tech. Even if they aren’t so interested in the consumer market, they have to protect their patent or someone in a market they do care about will get away with it too. I would assume it strengthens their case if they can demonstrate material damages in a market they participate in. So quickly unveil a prototype, price it so there’s little to no demand, don’t bother manufacturing a product nobody wants, win the case, cancel the product.

      • Langehund@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        2
        ·
        8 months ago

        Hmm, that’s a new theory I haven’t heard. It sounds pretty plausible so I’ll be interested to see if it plays out like that.

    • AA5B@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      1
      ·
      8 months ago

      I’m definitely curious about the history here, since it seems like Apple would have easily been able to offer more than they can benefit here. Who did what and when? Who tried to compromise with what and who rejected it?

      From the PR side, Apple seems reasonable and has a good explanation, but clearly the court did not find their arguments convincing

      I don’t know if there are sources I’m not finding, but a lot of people here are very confidently stating as facts, things I don’t see any source for so may be based on irrational hatred of a consumer products company

  • Asidonhopo@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    106
    arrow-down
    13
    ·
    8 months ago

    Not a fan of Apple but the number of people who would benefit from being able to monitor blood oxygenation is more meaningful to me than Masimo’s ability to sell thousand dollar smartwatches with its patent technology. Would be great if somehow this patent was bought out and made public domain so people outside the upper middle class could have an affordable way to track their vitals.

    • DingoBilly@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      88
      arrow-down
      9
      ·
      edit-2
      8 months ago

      Apple can easily pay to license the technology and utilise it, and has had multiple chances to over the years at reasonable prices.

      This result is only because Apple is run by some absolute morons who were happy to try and steal the tech but got caught with their pants down.

      As for making it available to upper middle class, there’s plenty of devices out there already for monitoring blood oxygenation for under $100.

    • maness300@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      53
      arrow-down
      11
      ·
      8 months ago

      Copyright and patent laws need to die.

      Only idiots think that work wouldn’t get done without them.

    • GigglyBobble@kbin.social
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      0
      ·
      8 months ago

      Would be great if somehow this patent was bought out and made public domain so people outside the upper middle class could have an affordable way to track their vitals.

      Apple is a strange choice as a champion for that. Their devices always have been notoriously overpriced.

  • Deello@lemm.ee
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    73
    arrow-down
    1
    ·
    8 months ago

    $999
    I have no use for a HR smart watch but at this price it’s not even a possibility. Hundreds of dollars is acceptable but this is a hard no for me. My Casio G-Shock GBD 200 + GadgetBridge has all the features I want from a smart watch and costs about $150.
    However, I will say kudos to Masimo for sticking it to Apple. Not many people can go against a giant like that and win.

    • Telodzrum@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      19
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      8 months ago

      This is less than some of the more feature-rich Garmin watches. That said, Garmin’s offerings are best-in-class, so they can justify it.

      • nevemsenki@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        16
        ·
        8 months ago

        Garmins (or most of them) also last for a month with a single charge, unlike most smart watches. For me that’s worth a little premium.

        • originalfrozenbanana@lemm.ee
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          5
          ·
          8 months ago

          Yeah I laughed when I saw the battery life on a smart watch. I have to charge by Garmin every a week with regular use and I still think that’s too frequent.

        • DreadPotato@sopuli.xyz
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          3
          arrow-down
          2
          ·
          edit-2
          8 months ago

          I’ve never gotten more than a week tops from my Garmin watches, a handful of runs and it needs a recharge. And I need to fully charge it if it’s a long run or risk it dying on me while I’m running.

          • nevemsenki@lemmy.world
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            4
            ·
            8 months ago

            Depends on the model and your settings I guess. I use a Fenix5, and it lasts like 18-20 days with a run every second day (tho I keep pulse ox off). Could be more if I had gotten a solar one, but those were pricey back when I got mine…

            • DreadPotato@sopuli.xyz
              link
              fedilink
              English
              arrow-up
              2
              arrow-down
              1
              ·
              8 months ago

              I’ve only used the upper end of the forerunner line. But getting 18+ days from the fenix with regular sports use seems well above spec, they spec it with up to 57h in GPS mode and 18d in regular smart watch mode without sports activities.

              • nevemsenki@lemmy.world
                link
                fedilink
                English
                arrow-up
                3
                ·
                8 months ago

                Hum , weird. Either I charge it rarely enough that I’m fooling myself, or I turned off some off some features garmin didn’t think people would…

      • KᑌᔕᕼIᗩ@lemmy.ml
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        3
        arrow-down
        1
        ·
        8 months ago

        Garmin software, particularly their integration with third parties absolutely bloody sucks. Their hardware is amazing though.

        • Aniki 🌱🌿@lemm.ee
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          2
          arrow-down
          2
          ·
          8 months ago

          I haven’t had an issue in the 8 years I’ve owned Garmin stuff. What apps are you having trouble with? I sync with Strava, training peaks, swim coach, humango, and probably others over the years

    • Ilovethebomb@lemm.ee
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      8
      ·
      8 months ago

      That is more than the last two phones I’ve bought put together, Holy Balls. No way am I spending a grand on a smart watch.

      The G shock sounds tempting.

    • vext01@lemmy.sdf.org
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      6
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      8 months ago

      Yeah, you could get a really nice traditional watch for a fraction of the cost and have money left over. And it won’t be obsoleted by a company turning off their servers 5 years down the line.

      Really I don’t see the point of smart watches.

  • FrankTheHealer@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    55
    arrow-down
    1
    ·
    8 months ago

    For 999usd, they can get fucked

    A Fitbit costing less than 200 can do most of these things. Granted you need a Google account, but at least you don’t need a fucking loan to get one.

    • Dremor@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      8
      ·
      8 months ago

      You should take a look at Withings. Uou have to like the analog retro look, but it has all thoses features (including ECG).

  • randoot@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    51
    arrow-down
    17
    ·
    8 months ago

    When you’re defending patents you have to demonstrate you’re developing your own products or licensing them and so you can sue for damages. At this price point this “prototype” is just a loophole so they can extort Apple.

    • DingoBilly@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      55
      arrow-down
      8
      ·
      8 months ago

      You make it sound like they’re being assholes to Apple when in reality, Apple is the bad guy here. Apple was going to license the technology but instead tried to hire all the engineers and people who developed it and then make their own version in house. Genuinely just thought they could steal the tech and then out lawyer the smaller company.

      In this case Apple clearly is in the wrong and is now fucking customers over because of its shitty practices.

        • DingoBilly@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          2
          arrow-down
          3
          ·
          8 months ago

          Yes I can see how the company suing another company that has stolen its tech, stolen its high level employees and then refuses to admit any fault or issue has absolutely no base to sue on.

          I agree in general with your statement, but it’s completely wrong here. There is definitely a giant greedy asshole corporation here, and with the history that Apple was going to license it from them and didn’t have an issue previously I know which one it is.

          • stoly@lemmy.world
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            1
            arrow-down
            1
            ·
            8 months ago

            Apple sucks for hiring in Mossimo’s engineering team and reinventing the wheel. Mossimo sucks for being a patent troll.

            • DingoBilly@lemmy.world
              link
              fedilink
              English
              arrow-up
              2
              ·
              8 months ago

              A patent troll is considered to be a company that just sits on patents and hopes to sue companies for profit primarily without having actual products.

              Mossimo makes a tonne of products and has over a billion in revenue. It’s not a patent troll.

              • stoly@lemmy.world
                link
                fedilink
                English
                arrow-up
                1
                ·
                8 months ago

                I spelled it wrong via mobile–it’s Masimo. Mossimo is a clothing brand.

      • akrot@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        6
        arrow-down
        6
        ·
        8 months ago

        I think the case is still developping, but I hate these laws that forbid employees from working at other companies. I thate to take Apple’s side, but I don’t think hiring the engineers was wrong.

        Like you accummulate knowledge at your current company, and you’re not supposed to use it ever in any job? Bullshit. Masimo could have offered their knowlesge employees better salaries stock options so they stay, at the end of this case if Masimo wins, it’s the employees that will lose.

        Anyone working in a specialized field will find it hard to be hired as new companies will be afraid of the same thing here.

        • highenergyphysics@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          10
          arrow-down
          6
          ·
          edit-2
          8 months ago

          Do… do you seriously think poaching employees to recreate technology to the point of literally infringing on a patent is justified, while then extolling the virtues of a theoretical free market which by definition enforces competition through strict regulation?

          Man capitalism really does a number on the brain

          • akrot@lemmy.world
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            6
            arrow-down
            7
            ·
            8 months ago

            I am saying that from an employee perspective, what is my reason to support Masimo? Unless I am a suck up for corporations, why would I even support Masimo. The way I see it, the more restriction a company has on its employees (ie you are forbidden from working at a competitor with your expertise) the less power the employees have.

            How is this even an argument for capitalism? Just shouting capitalism does not earn you free points. Think it through, step by step, human-gpt.

    • Julian@lemm.ee
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      21
      arrow-down
      2
      ·
      8 months ago

      I mean as long as it’s apple and not some small company or individual, they can extort away.

    • Natanael@slrpnk.net
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      7
      ·
      8 months ago

      That’s trademarks, not patents (although in rare cases “implicit licensing” can be a thing if you don’t act on known infringement)

  • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    31
    ·
    8 months ago

    Pebble - $99

    Pebble Steel - $149

    Now Pebble is gone and Masimo is selling a $999 smartwatch.

    Apple’s cheapest watch is $249.

    All I want is a watch like the Pebble again. I don’t need color or all this extra health stuff.

    • bluewing@lemm.ee
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      10
      ·
      8 months ago

      Which is odd because I do want the health stuff, but don’t want the rest of that stuff that is useless to me. I don’t need the texting, music, weather, or the phone stuff - my smart phone still needs to be in bluetooth range for it to work anyway.

      But I do value the ability to take a pulse, blood pressure, and count steps. It has increased my self-awareness and improved my health consciousness - small changes can make big differences. And for $40US, I found a decent watch that actually works pretty well.

      • Kage520@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        3
        ·
        edit-2
        8 months ago

        I really like Garmin for this. Lots of models to choose from to find your niche (eg, they have running focused, scuba diving focused, or just looks like a regular watch with no gps). What’s cool is their ecosystem is NOT to do much smartwatch stuff. It’s all about health focus. Or maybe fitness focus I guess.

        Edit: oh I reread and saw you want blood pressure. They don’t do this that I know of.

        • Thetimefarm@lemm.ee
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          1
          ·
          8 months ago

          Garmin is also the only fitness tracker that isn’t just like explicitly selling your data. But then again who’s to say that won’t change tomorrow.

        • bluewing@lemm.ee
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          2
          ·
          8 months ago

          I bought a FITVII smartwatch from Amazon, (the price has gone up a bit since I ordered mine), after seeing a review of smart watches on a tech website. It was rated as their “Best Budget” -YMMV- smart watch.

          A word of warning - it took over 3 months to receive the watch even though it was listed as in stock with 10pcs available. In truth I forgot about it until it showed up in the mail…

      • makyo@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        1
        ·
        8 months ago

        Agreed on all accounts except for weather updates. I got my watch for the health tracking and love it for it. But I have been slowly won over by the other little things that give me info about the world at a glance but don’t take me out of it. Weather and directions especially.

        I always tell people I wish the watch was the smart revolution instead of the phone because it augments daily life so well while our phones so easily become a distraction (though admittedly often a welcome one).

  • LucidLethargy@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    26
    arrow-down
    1
    ·
    edit-2
    8 months ago

    My galaxy watch I bought many years ago has this same feature, is cheaper, and looks amazing. I got the “classic” model with the turning frame. It’s an outstanding watch even to this day. No lag, great battery, and very bright even in sunlight.

    • lledrtx@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      6
      ·
      8 months ago

      Watch 4? I got the non-classic and my battery sucks ass now. I’m looking at replacing the battery now

      • faercol@lemmy.blahaj.zone
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        4
        ·
        8 months ago

        Yeah got a galaxy watch 2 classic years ago and it needs charging every day now, and it sometimes randomly drains the battery in like 1 hour.

        But I’m honestly surprised of its longevity, it outlasted 2 phones

        • Psythik@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          4
          ·
          8 months ago

          Hell, my Watch 4 Classic needs to be charged daily as well, but I think it’s mostly because I have it continuously monitoring my heart rate + stress levels and I use the always on display setting extensively cause I want my watch to look like a watch.

      • JCreazy@midwest.social
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        7
        ·
        8 months ago

        I use to not wear one but I got myself a PineTime and it is very handy for my current job which revolves heavily around time.

        • balancedchaos@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          5
          ·
          8 months ago

          The Pinetime is an awesome watch. Basic functionality, but…way more than you’d think for the price and the simple UI. It’s crazy what that thing can do.

          • JCreazy@midwest.social
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            2
            ·
            8 months ago

            I pretty much just use it for a watch and phone notifications. There are games on it that I don’t play, the HR monitor isn’t that great though. A great price for a fun little open source watch.

    • RubberElectrons@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      3
      ·
      edit-2
      8 months ago

      I work in many dusty, gritty places, machine shops included. I love my $60 watch, it’s been to 4 continents and back for 12yrs now.

      Slight chip in the edge of the crystal, some mild scratches too. I’m just happy to not contribute to the waste stream by buying one reliable item, and cherishing it even when it gets a bit beat up.

      Do these kind of apple/google watches hold up? How hard is battery replacement?

    • ki77erb@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      1
      ·
      8 months ago

      I have around 12 watches. Only 2 of them cost more than $200 and both of those were gifts. I’ve never had the desire to have a smart watch let alone one that costs $1,000 but I can see the value in having a device that can measure certain parameters for medical reasons.

  • gianni@lemmy.ca
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    5
    ·
    8 months ago

    I am very curious to see if this will be the first smartwatch that works with tattooed wrists. None of the health & security features have ever worked for me with any of the major brands.

    • Static_Rocket@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      14
      ·
      edit-2
      8 months ago

      Probably not, most of those sensors work by shining an LED light through the skin and monitoring reflection/scatter as a cheap form of photoplethysmography. Anything capable of absorbing that light, like the pigment used in tattoos, will prevent it from working correctly (at least out of the box, there may be some way to adjust for it but I do not think it would be very accurate).

      An infrared sensor could work, depending on the ink type. Unfortunately those are more expensive.