Another wearable tech patent war brews, with the initial investigation set to take 45 days
The US International Trade Commission (ITC) has officially voted to launch an investigation into the biggest names in the wearables industry, following a patent infringement complaint over fall-detection technology.
The complaint was filed by a relatively unknown company, UnaliWear, a Texas-based firm known for its Kanega Watch, a medical alert device for seniors.
UnaliWear alleges that Apple, Garmin, Google, and Samsung have used its patented fall-detection technology without a license.
The company is seeking a limited exclusion order, which, in a worst-case scenario for the tech giants, could lead to import bans on infringing devices such as the Apple Watch Series 11, Pixel Watch 4, and Garmin Fenix 8.
The USITC stated that “no decision has been made on the merits of the case” yet, but the institution of the investigation (Inv. No. 337-TA-1477) kicks off a formal legal process.
An administrative law judge will now be assigned to hold evidentiary hearings, with a target date for the investigation’s completion set within the next 45 days.
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The Wareable view
This investigation falls under Section 337 of the Tariff Act—the exact same mechanism Masimo used to ban sales of the Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 over blood oxygen sensors in December 2023.
That precedent makes this case much more than just general patent spat fodder. Fall detection is now a standard, expected safety feature on almost every premium smartwatch.
If UnaliWear’s patents hold, we will likely see a swift move toward settlement and licensing deals; the alternative is a supply chain nightmare that none of these companies want to repeat.
