Masimo’s newest product, the Masimo Freedom, is causing a stir. If the name seems familiar, it’s because Masimo is the business that caused a sensation when a lawsuit alleging patent infringement led to the suspension of the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2. They’re back, and this time they’re bringing a smartwatch that promises things Apple just can’t.
A Change to the Scene of Consumers
Masimo, a well-known leader in medical technology, appears to be venturing into the consumer electronics space. The Masimo Freedom represents a move towards a more diverse smartwatch audience, in contrast to their prior wearable, the Masimo W1, which placed a strong emphasis on health-related functions.
Targeting a wider audience, the Masimo Freedom has an intelligent design that includes functions like alerts. Still, it stays true to its roots in health, setting it apart from the Apple Watch. The prototype was on exhibit at CES 2024. It featured a circular display without a revolving bezel or digital crown, with a distinctive navigation touchbar on the right side and a useful button for item selection.
Superiority in Health Monitoring
Masimo’s president of consumer health, Eugene Goldberg, stressed that the Freedom wristwatch is intended to demonstrate the precision of their health-monitoring technology. The blood oxygen monitoring technology, which is said to be better than rival models, takes into account things like movement, poor blood flow, skin colour, and low perfusion.
In addition to blood oxygen monitoring, the Masimo Freedom has a number of health-tracking capabilities, such as steps, fall detection, respiration rate, hydration index, and pulse rate variability. It has the potential to revolutionise the way older folks live by giving them instantaneous access to vital indicators and continuous monitoring every second.
The Path Ahead
The Masimo Freedom is a prototype that will be released later this year, but because of its high $999 price tag, it is considered a niche product. The Verge claims that the smartwatch’s functions seem simple, and the FDA has not yet approved any of the health-related functionality. Masimo’s foray into the smartwatch industry is made all the more intriguing by the ongoing legal spat with Apple.
The Freedom wristwatch from Masimo is a daring debut that upends the established order. Only time will tell whether this health-focused gadget can carve out a niche and compete with the industry titans in the wristwatch space, as the industry impatiently awaits its formal release.
