A federal jury in the Southern District of California has ruled against Apple in a patent infringement lawsuit brought by Taction Technology. The tech giant has been ordered to pay $5.7 billion in damages after the court determined that Apple utilized the company's haptic vibration technology without authorization.
The legal battle began in 2021, when Taction, a manufacturer of headphones and gaming headsets, alleged that Apple’s proprietary "Taptic Engine"—which powers vibration feedback in iPhones and Apple Watches—infringed upon two of its patents issued in 2020. Taction argued that Apple leveraged these innovations to enhance the user experience of its devices without obtaining a license.
Apple has firmly rejected the verdict, stating that it intends to appeal the decision. In a statement, the company asserted that the damages awarded are "entirely unsupported by the facts" and maintained that its Taptic Engine technology is "fundamentally different" from the systems patented by Taction. Apple further noted that Taction’s own product testing during the trial supported this distinction.
The case has seen shifting outcomes; in 2023, a San Diego judge initially ruled that Apple had not infringed on the patents. That decision was later challenged in a federal appeal circuit, leading to the recent jury trial. While the jury found in favor of Taction regarding infringement, they did not conclude that Apple had acted willfully.
This ruling is the latest in a series of patent disputes for Apple. Notably, in November 2025, the company was ordered to pay $634 million to medical technology firm Masimo following a separate jury finding regarding blood-oxygen monitoring patents.
Source: BBC News
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