Did Apple steal the heart rate sensor technology for the Apple Watch? According to Michigan-based health startup Omni MedSci, yes they did. As a result, Apple faces a patent lawsuit regarding the sensor.
Omni founder Dr. Mohammed N. Islam stated in his lawsuit that the Watch infringes on four of the companies patents. Each of these patents revolves around the use of a light source on a wearable device to take blood measurements.
Islam had met with Apple several times from 2014 to 2016. During these visits, he spoke with Apple’s medical technology specialist, hardware designer and VP of product marketing Greg Joswiak. At the time the aforementioned patents were in the application process, but that he showed them off to Apple employees. Â
Shortly thereafter, Islam claims that Apple ceased partnership and didn’t contact him or his company any further. A year later, the four patents created by Omni MedSci were approved. Around the same time, it was reported that Apple has a team working on developing a Watch sensor that can keep track of blood sugar levels.
Islam is hoping to receive both damages and an injunction preventing further sales of the Apple Watch. While the latter seems very unlikely, that doesn’t discount that there are a few issues that do seem odd.
While Islam claims to have first met with Apple in 2014, the company had already solidified the technology behind the heart rate sensor. Apple Insider also reports that Islam seems to have incorporated certain modifications into his own intellectual property after the Apple Watch was unveiled.
This also isn’t Islam’s first lawsuit regarding patent infringement either. Islam has also previously brought lawsuits against Huawei, Nokia, and Verizon for patent infringement.
Apple has yet to comment. For more information, be sure to check back to the site for updates, as well as all of your other nerdy news and needs!
