BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 26. A US jury has ordered Apple to pay more than $5.7 billion to San Diego-based Taction after finding that Apple’s Taptic Engine technology infringed two of the company’s patents.
The verdict, delivered on Friday, is reportedly the largest US patent infringement award of its kind. Taction had accused Apple of using its patented technology to provide haptic feedback, including the tapping and vibration effects used in iPhones and Apple Watches.
Apple rejected the allegations and said its Taptic Engine is fundamentally different from Taction’s technology. The company also argued that Taction’s patents were invalid and said it would appeal the verdict.
“We’re happy the jury found for Taction and vindicated its patent rights,” Taction attorney Lance Yang said.
Taction, which develops haptic technology for headphones and gaming headsets, filed the lawsuit against Apple in 2021. The legal dispute continued through several stages, including a 2023 ruling by a federal judge in San Diego that Apple had not infringed the patents.
The US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit revived the case last year, allowing the dispute to proceed to the latest jury trial.
The case could now move to the appeals process as Apple challenges the record damages award.
