The rumor has been circulating for a while: Apple might be looking to acquire Masimo Consumer. At first glance, it seems strange, but after some thought…
Apple and Masimo are far from friends. The manufacturer of both professional and home-use medical equipment recently won a very costly lawsuit against Apple. In that case, Masimo claimed that Apple had infringed on their patents without permission, costing the Cupertino company a lot of money, and the legal battle is still ongoing. It would be convenient to resolve the whole issue at once by acquiring the company and the disputed patents, as suggested by the rumor mill. Additionally, there is turmoil within Masimo’s management, and their acquisition of the Sound United brands hasn’t turned out as hoped. In short, things are not going well for Masimo.
Killing Multiple Birds with One Stone
If Apple were to buy Masimo’s entire consumer division, they would acquire a substantial number of patents in both the medical and audiovisual fields. This could also lead to a number of AV brands that seamlessly integrate with the Apple ecosystem. It’s not a bad idea since the personal computer (including Macs) is becoming less economically interesting. Exploring alternatives is a sound business strategy. Furthermore, many of Apple’s technologies could be integrated into consumer electronics. Think AI, Apple TV as part of an AV receiver, and so on. Medical sensors could also be very interesting additions to smartphones, smartwatches, and more.
The acquisition of Masimo Consumer by Apple is far from certain. However, it is known that a major party, whose name has yet to be revealed, is interested in an acquisition. So, we’ll have to wait and see…