A federal jury in San Diego has ordered Apple to pay $5.7 billion to Taction Technology for infringing two patents related to haptic feedback. The verdict, delivered Friday, follows a lawsuit filed in 2021 that alleged Apple's Taptic Engine in iPhones and Apple Watches violated Taction's intellectual property.
Both sources agree that Apple initially won dismissal in 2023, but the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit later revived the case. The jury found Apple infringed the patents, though Engadget notes the infringement was unintentional; CNBC does not specify intent. Apple has said it disagrees with the decision and intends to appeal.
If upheld, the award would be among the largest patent infringement verdicts in U.S. history, surpassing an ongoing $3 billion case involving Intel. The outcome could have broader implications for how courts value component-level patents in consumer devices.