Apple Ordered to Pay Record $5.7 Billion in Patent Infringement Case

A US jury has ordered Apple to pay a record $5.7 billion to a San Diego company, Taction, for infringing on patents related to haptic feedback technology used in iPhones and Apple Watches. The jury determined that Apple's Taptic Engine, which generates vibrations, infringed on two Taction patents.

Apple stated that it intends to appeal the verdict, asserting that its Taptic Engine is fundamentally different from Taction's technology and that the company does not use Taction's patented methods. "Apple does not use Taction’s technology, and we will appeal," the company said in a statement.

Taction, which utilizes its technology in headphones and gaming headsets, filed the lawsuit in 2021. The company's attorney, Lance Yang, expressed satisfaction with the jury's decision, stating, "We’re happy the jury found for Taction and vindicated its patent rights."

This ruling marks the largest patent infringement verdict of its kind to date. The case has a complex history, with a San Diego federal judge initially ruling in 2023 that Apple did not infringe on the patents. However, the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit revived the case last year.