Apple CEO Tim Cook told CNBC in a statement shared on live television that Apple has no intention to license Masimo’s patents. While it seemed likely that was the case, the company hadn’t said as much publicly until now.
“We’re focused on appeal,” Cook’s statement said. “There’s lots of reasons to buy the watch even without the blood oxygen sensor.”
I wish to play devil’s advocate for patents. But I first would like to note we need to set aside lawyers, corrupt judges, and anything else surrounding patents.
Patents were made to help the little guy out. They provide a way for someone to come up with a unique idea and protect it from larger entities that could pay to replicate manufacturing cheaply and destroy the little guy before he can make his first sale. Patents provide indisputable proof that someone had the idea first and has the right to make a living off their idea. Ergo, the American dream.
Now to jump back to reality; this entire, wonderful, system that was built to protect the American dream has been ruined by the same thing that ruins society and has pushed all of us into a late-stage capitalistic hellscape… greed.
I don’t wish to accuse Masimo or Apple of being greedy. That is a slippery slope I don’t want to visit right now. But patents are a good idea that have been taken and manipulated to protect a few pocket books.
