Heart rate-sensing technology was one of the big features of the Apple Watch (having even been credited with saving one customer’s life!), but according to a lawsuit filed by biometrics company Valencell, Apple allegedly failed to properly license the technology and is therefore using it illegally.
Valencell says that both Apple and Fitbit (which is also being sued) held meetings with it to discuss using the tech, but failed to reach a proper agreement prior to their launching the Apple Watch, Fitbit Charge HR, and Fitbit Surge — the latter of which we noted yesterday is worn by Barack Obama.
IP addresses belonging to Apple also downloaded white papers from Valencell’s website, the lawsuit alleges. The company claims that it has identified seven Apple employees, all of whom played important roles in helping Apple to develop its Apple Watch heart rate sensor technology.
LG and Intel already have working agreements with Valencell.
While Apple has not publicly commented on the lawsuit, the company has been investigating heart rate technology going back several years. Back in 2010, the company filed a patent capable of turning your iPhone into a programmable heart rate monitor by embedding a series of electrodes into the iPhone’s shell.
Via: Apple Insider
