A significant development came on February 6, 2024, when a judge overseeing an antitrust lawsuit filed by AliveCor against Apple ruled in Apple’s favor. The lawsuit, initiated in 2021, alleged that Apple engaged in anticompetitive behavior by making changes to the Apple Watch’s heart rate algorithm in watchOS 5, which allegedly targeted and rendered non-functional AliveCor’s “SmartRhythm” app and its ECG KardiaBand. The judge filed a summary judgment dismissing the case, finding that Apple did not engage in anticompetitive practices.
AliveCor argued that Apple’s changes to the heart rate algorithm were designed to prevent third-party apps from identifying irregular heart rhythms, thereby eliminating competition and depriving consumers of choice for heart rate analysis. However, the court sided with Apple, agreeing that the company had the right to make design decisions without interference from third parties.
