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Comment by pharmakom | Hacker News Reader

I dunno, Apple has better market access and product execution so isn’t it a good thing if they acquire innovative tech?

Apple didn't "acquire" the tech. They showed intention for a partnership to get the field of non-invasive monitoring explained to them by Masimo, and then went home to rebuild their tech without them.

They hired-away Masimo staff to achieve that, the thing they left behind and didn't acquire was the actual tech.

This strategy surely worked hundreds of times, in this case they picked the wrong company because the tech was already patented.

In the bigger picture this kind of behaviour would destroy the market for innovative tech. Why would anyone still invest in making something innovative if your work gets taken away from you the moment you become successful?

This sort of behavior has destroyed my incentive to innovate. I have had multiple patentable ideas stolen and patented by others. I’m just one guy and can’t afford the process, but a patent just gives me the right to sue someone that infringes. Which also would be leagues out of my budget. The result is that I no longer want to create anything of value, because it will just be stolen. This exceptional case only underscores that rule.

then do it the proper way. acquire the rights and pay for it.

They did do it the proper way: They purchased the humans who made it.

The patent system is ridiculous.

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