Technology

I might be mistaken, but I think Apple started with a licensing deal and then walked back on it?

Googled and found this

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=38774769

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.

The Apple Watch Ultra already costs that much, doesn't it?

It isn’t even an official price.

Price is for United States only and is subject to change based on final design, specifications, and features.

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.

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.

Copyright and patent laws need to die.

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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

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.

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

I enjoy my $0 watch (I don't have one)