Apple Ordered to Pay $5.7B in Haptic Patent Infringement Case

Apple Hit with $5.7 Billion Verdict

A federal jury has ordered Apple to pay $5.7 billion in damages to Taction Technology after finding that the company infringed two of the haptics company's patents. According to CNBC, which reported the verdict over the weekend, the decision represents one of the largest patent awards ever handed down against the iPhone maker.

The dispute centres on Apple's Taptic Engine, the component responsible for the haptic feedback users feel in Apple Watches and iPhones. Taction argued that this technology relies on its patented inventions and that Apple used them without a proper license or authority. The jury ultimately sided with Taction on two of its patents, triggering the multibillion-dollar damages award.

The verdict followed a jury trial that began on September 14, during which seven jurors deliberated for two days after proceedings concluded. They returned on Friday and delivered their decision in favor of Taction, marking a significant legal defeat for Apple.

The Patent Dispute and Legal Journey

Taction sued Apple in 2021, arguing that Apple's Taptic Engine in the company's Apple Watches and iPhones uses its inventions without proper license or authority. Apple initially had the case dismissed in 2023, but the Federal Circuit later revived it.

The revived case proceeded to a jury trial, which began on September 14. Seven jurors deliberated for two days after proceedings concluded, returning on Friday with a verdict in favor of Taction.

According to the company's lead counsel, Lance Yang, the outcome was a long time coming. "We're happy the jury found for Taction and vindicated its patent rights," Yang told CNBC. "Taction waited five and a half years for this case to get to trial, so it was a long time coming."

Inside the Jury Trial

The jury trial began on September 14, marking a pivotal moment in the long-running dispute between Taction Technology and Apple. Seven jurors were seated to hear the case, and after the proceedings concluded, they deliberated for two days.

The jury returned on Friday and delivered its verdict in favor of Taction, finding that Apple had infringed two of the haptics company's patents. The decision followed years of litigation, including an initial dismissal of the case in 2023 that was later revived by the Federal Circuit.

According to CNBC, which reported on the verdict over the weekend, the jury's finding set the stage for the $5.7 billion damages award against Apple. The two-day deliberation period concluded with a verdict that vindicated Taction's patent rights after what the company described as a lengthy wait for trial.

Taction's Reaction to the Verdict

Following the jury's decision, Taction Technology made its position clear through its lead counsel. Lance Yang told CNBC that the company welcomed the outcome of the trial, which found Apple liable for infringing two of its patents.

"We're happy the jury found for Taction and vindicated its patent rights," Yang said. His statement emphasized that the verdict affirmed the validity of the haptics company's intellectual property claims against the iPhone maker.

Yang also highlighted the lengthy road the case traveled before reaching a courtroom. "Taction waited five and a half years for this case to get to trial, so it was a long time coming," he noted. That timeline traces back to the company's 2021 lawsuit against Apple, which was initially dismissed in 2023 before the Federal Circuit revived it, ultimately leading to the jury trial that began September 14 and concluded with Friday's verdict.