Apple has been ordered to pay $5.7 billion in damages after a federal jury found that technology used in its Taptic Engine infringed two patents held by Taction Technology.
The verdict was returned Friday in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California after a trial that began on September 14. The dispute centers on haptic feedback technology used in Apple products including iPhones and Apple Watches.
Apple says it will appeal
Apple said it strongly disagrees with the verdict and the amount of damages and plans to appeal. The company argues that its Taptic Engine is fundamentally different from the technology described in Taction’s patents.
The jury did not find that Apple had willfully infringed the patents, an important distinction in U.S. patent litigation because willful infringement can affect potential damages.
A long-running patent dispute
Taction filed the case in 2021. The lawsuit was initially dismissed in 2023 before being revived by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, allowing the claims to return to trial.
The $5.7 billion award is unusually large for a patent case and will likely face extensive post-trial motions and appellate review before any final payment is determined.
What the verdict means for Apple
The decision creates a significant legal liability on paper, but the appeals process could take time and the final amount may change. Apple has not announced any product changes tied to the verdict.
Sources: U.S. District Court reporting, Apple statement, MacRumors coverage.
