Apple's $634 Million Apple Watch Patent Bill Just Got Even Bigger

Apple's $634 million patent loss to medical technology company Masimo has just gotten even bigger, after a federal judge ordered Apple to pay an additional $184 million in interest on what it owes (via Bloomberg Law). The ruling takes Apple's bill to around $818 million, but that doesn't include any post-judgment interest continuing to accrue until the judgment is paid. Judge James Selna rejected Apple's argument that adding prejudgment interest would constitute a windfall for Masimo, citing U.S. Supreme Court guidance that "interest from the time that the royalty payments would have been received merely serves to make the patent owner whole." Put another way, Masimo is being compensated for as long as it was deprived of royalty payments that it theoretically would have received during the infringement period. It didn't all go Masimo's way, though. Selna also declined Masimo's request to calculate it at a 7 percent rate, which would have put Apple's interest bill at $243 million. Instead, the court used Masimo's own borrowing rate, compounding annually from when the infringement began. Masimo is also behind the separate patent dispute that led to a U.S. import ban on certain Apple Watch models and resulted in Apple disabling blood oxygen functionality on affected newly sold models. Apple in 2025 introduced a redesigned version of the feature. The dispute here is concerned with a Masimo pulse-oximetry patent. In November 2025, a jury found that Apple Watch features including heart-rate notifications infringed Masimo's patent and awarded the company $634 million. Apple subsequently tried to overturn or reduce the award, but Selna upheld the verdict in July. The patent in question expired in June 2022, so the ruling related to historical Apple Watch sales and has no effect on the heart-rate features in current Apple Watch models. Popular StoriesApple Event Live Blog: iPhone Duo, iPhone 18 Pro, and MoreWednesday September 9, 2026 9:10 am PDT by Jordan GolsonApple's "Surprise and Shine" event kicks off today at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time, where we're expecting to see the foldable iPhone Duo, the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 models, new AirPods 5 earphones, and perhaps some other announcements. Apple is providing a live video stream on its website, on YouTube, and in the company's TV app across various platforms. We...Apple Event Today: iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Duo Cheat SheetTuesday September 8, 2026 10:24 am PDT by Tim HardwickApple's biggest event of the year is almost here, and all eyes are on Cupertino. With the first foldable iPhone expected to headline Apple's "Surprise and Shine" event on Wednesday, September 9, at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time, the rumor mill has been running full throttle, fuelled by the biggest single design change in the life of the iPhone. To get you up to speed, here's a quick reference...Siri AI Settlement Website Now Live: Apple to Pay Some iPhone OwnersSunday September 20, 2026 7:24 pm PDT by Joe RossignolIn May, Apple agreed to pay $250 million to settle a U.S. class action lawsuit over Siri AI's delayed launch, and the settlement website is now live. Apple will pay an estimated $25 per eligible iPhone to eligible customers, who can submit a claim via the settlement website between September 21 and December 21 of this year. The exact payment may be higher or lower than $25 depending on the...