Investigation into Fall Detection Patents Could Lead to Apple Watch Ban

A smartwatch company based in Texas has accused major tech giants, including Apple, of infringing on its patented fall detection technology, as reported by AppleInsider.

UnaliWear, located in Austin, Texas, lodged a complaint with the US International Trade Commission (ITC) on December 12, 2025, alleging that Apple, Google, Samsung, and Garmin have violated its patents related to AI-driven mechanisms designed to detect falls.

The complaint asserts that these companies have breached section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930, which empowers the ITC to prohibit the import of infringing products into the United States. A similar incident occurred two years ago when the Apple Watch was briefly removed from shelves amid a separate dispute concerning blood oxygen sensors. Companies often opt for the ITC route for such complaints due to its quicker resolution compared to traditional patent lawsuits that can linger for years.

The ITC officially launched an investigation on January 8, giving Apple and the other accused companies until January 28 to respond. As of now, none of the firms have publicly commented on the investigation.

As highlighted by Mactrast, UnaliWear differs from typical “patent trolls” as it is a “practicing entity” actively engaged in developing and selling its own smartwatch, the Kanega Watch, which has been on the market for several years. The company claims that the technology they utilize has been misappropriated by others.

UnaliWear, established in 2013, offers the Kanega Watch, marketed as a “Medical Alert Watch with Fall Detection.” Priced at $299, a subscription costing $779.40 annually or $84.95 monthly is required for usage, covering fall detection and emergency response services. This represents a modernized version of the classic “I’ve fallen and I can’t get up” pendants seen in 80s and 90s commercials, with automatic fall detection activation.

Apple introduced a fall detection feature for the Apple Watch with the release of the Apple Watch Series 4 in 2018. Although UnaliWear took seven years to file a patent infringement claim, negotiations behind the scenes may have caused the delay. Patent disputes are typically a last resort following failed licensing discussions due to their complex and costly nature.

If the patent infringement process progresses conventionally, UnaliWear may face a protracted legal battle unless an agreement on patent royalties is reached.

Over the years, Apple and other tech companies have encountered numerous patent allegations and lawsuits from entities like patent trolls. For instance, Apple was directed to pay over $700 million to Texas-based “cellular technology company” Optis in May for utilizing standards-essential 4G patents in iPhones and iPads over a 14-year period.

Optis, a Texas-based firm that does not produce any products but holds and licenses intellectual property, engages in litigation to extract payments from companies utilizing patented technology.

There are also cases where patent disputes involve legitimate product companies with ambiguous relationships between infringing products. Apple’s ongoing dispute with Masimo regarding blood oxygen sensors exemplifies this scenario, with both companies claiming patent infringements against each other.