Medical device maker AliveCor has filed patent infringement claims against Apple and more in the past. Now the company has intensified its efforts by filing an antitrust lawsuit in federal court alleging that Apple has stolen its tech and used monopolistic power which has “injured competition, reduced consumer choice, and potentially damaged public health.”
AliveCor filed the federal antitrust lawsuit against Apple in the Northern District of California yesterday and shared a press release highlighting its allegations.
Just like the Epic Games antitrust suit, AliveCor says Apple has abused its market power.
“AliveCor developed the world’s first personal ECG and seeks to become the 24/7 virtual cardiologist for patients,” said AliveCor CEO Priya Abani. “Apple’s tactics in the heartrate analysis market, have injured competition, reduced consumer choice, and potentially damaged public health.”
Going further the filing describes Apple’s conduct as “predatory” and “exclusionary.”
The issues between Apple and AliveCor really heated up when Apple Watch gained native ECG support back in 2018.
At the core of the lawsuit, AliveCor claims Apple “stole AliveCor’s cardiological detection and analysis technology.” And that it also wrongly blocked its SmartRhythm app that works with the company’s ECG KardiaBand – “the first FDA-cleared accessory for Apple Watch.”
When AliveCor first developed its offerings for the Apple Watch, Apple accepted SmartRhythm in the App Store without objection. But soon after, Apple suddenly claimed that the app “violated” unwritten App Store guidelines. When AliveCor pushed back, Apple responded by literally rewriting the rules. Nevertheless, AliveCor adapted SmartRhythm multiple times so that it met Apple’s ever-changing guidelines. Finally, Apple made changes to watchOS’s heartrate algorithm that ensured SmartRhythm and other competing apps would not work.
And another claim, AliveCor says that Apple blocking the SmartRhythm app “put countless AliveCor users’ lives in danger.”
Through the lawsuit, AliveCor is looking to win damages for the loss of business, business relationships, client goodwill, and more.
You can view the whole filing below:
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