Apple Inc. declared victory in a bruising patent war over its smartwatch’s blood-oxygen sensor. The U.S. International Trade Commission shut down Masimo Corp.’s final push for an import ban on April 17. Apple’s redesigned feature—sensor data captured on the watch, processed on the iPhone—cleared the hurdle. No infringement. Case closed. This wasn’t Apple’s first dodge. Back in December 2023, the ITC slapped an import ban on Series 9 and Ultra 2 models, finding they violated Masimo’s pulse oximetry patents. Apple yanked the feature from U.S. sales to keep shipping. Chaos for holiday buyers. Then came workarounds: software tweaks, Customs approvals. By August 2025, a modified version returned, displaying readings via iPhone. Reuters detailed how an ITC judge in March ruled the redesign clean, and the full commission declined review last week. Masimo, the Irvine med-tech firm now owned by Danaher, accused Apple of poaching talent and stealing secrets starting in 2020.…