Apple faces a USD 5.7 billion patent damages award after a US federal jury found that its Taptic Engine infringed two patents owned by Taction Technology. The verdict concerns haptic feedback technology used in iPhones and Apple Watches. Apple rejected the ruling and plans to appeal.
The jury in the US District Court for the Southern District of California found on September 25 that Apple infringed patents covering vibration-based technology developed by Taction Technology, a San Diego-based company. The patents, US Patent Nos. 10,659,885 and 10,820,117, cover tactile transducers that generate low-frequency vibrations users can feel through touch.
Apple’s Taptic Engine produces vibrations and simulated clicks when users interact with its devices. The technology supports notifications, alerts and other tactile responses on iPhones and Apple Watches.
Taction, which uses its technology in headphones and gaming headsets, filed the lawsuit against Apple in 2021. The company alleged that Apple used its patented inventions without authorisation.
However, the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit revived the case in 2025. The appeals court ruled that the earlier dismissal improperly restricted Taction’s use of expert testimony. The jury awarded Taction USD 5,721,961,750 in damages. It also rejected Apple’s arguments that the patent claims at issue were invalid. However, jurors did not find that Apple had wilfully infringed the patents.
Apple said it strongly disagrees with the verdict and the damages awarded, describing the amount as unsupported by the facts.
“Apple does not use Taction’s technology, and we will appeal,” the company said in a statement. For now, the case remains a significant development in Apple’s patent litigation, with the final financial consequences dependent on the appeals process. The company maintains that its Taptic Engine is fundamentally different from Taction’s technology. Apple also said that testing of its products during the trial supported its position.
The company maintains that its Taptic Engine is fundamentally different from Taction’s technology. Apple also said that testing of its products during the trial supported its position.
Also read: More Than a Phone: How Apple Turned the iPhone into a Status Symbol