A federal jury in San Diego has ordered Apple to pay more than $5.7 billion to Taction Technology after finding that Apple infringed two patents related to vibration-based haptics technology used in the iPhone and Apple Watch. The lawsuit, filed in 2021, focused on U.S. Patent Nos. 10,659,885 and 10,820,117, which cover tactile transducer technology enabling users to physically feel responses from electronic devices.
Taction alleged that Apple’s Taptic Engine incorporated its patented inventions without a license. Apple initially won dismissal of the case in 2023, but the Federal Circuit revived the lawsuit, allowing it to proceed to trial.
Following the trial, the seven-member jury deliberated and returned a verdict in Taction’s favor on September 26. The jury did not find Apple’s infringement willful.
Apple strongly disputed the decision, stating its Taptic Engine is fundamentally different from Taction’s technology and that the damages are unsupported by the facts. The company has said it will appeal the verdict.
Taction welcomed the ruling, with its lead counsel noting the company had waited five and a half years for the case to reach trial. The case highlights the significant financial stakes surrounding patent disputes involving advanced haptics technology in consumer electronics.
