A federal jury in San Diego has ordered Apple to pay more than $5.7 billion in damages to haptics technology firm Taction. The ruling follows a legal battle initiated in 2021, when Taction alleged that the tech giant infringed upon two of its patents related to tactile feedback systems.
The Core of the Litigation
The lawsuit centered on U.S. Patent Nos. 10,659,885 and 10,820,117. Both patents involve vibration-based tactile transducer technology, which provides users with physical sensations in response to device inputs. Taction argued that Apple’s Taptic Engine, a key component in Apple Watches and iPhones, utilized this proprietary technology without obtaining a proper license.
Verdict and Allegations
The jury found that Apple infringed on two claims in one patent and one claim in the second. Notably, however, the jury did not find the infringement to be willful. During the proceedings, Taction accused Apple of reverse-engineering its technology from two Kannon gaming headsets to develop the Taptic Engine.
Apple has signaled its disagreement with the jury's decision, stating that it intends to appeal the multi-billion dollar award. Further comments from the company are expected as the legal process continues.
