U.S. Jury Orders Apple to Pay $5.7 Billion in Haptics Case

A federal jury in San Diego has ordered Apple to pay more than $5.7 billion to Taction Technology. The verdict, delivered on September 26, found that Apple's Taptic Engine infringed two patents covering vibration technology used in iPhones and Apple Watches.
It is the largest patent verdict in United States history. The previous record was $2.54 billion from 2016. Taction, a San Diego-based haptics firm, first sued Apple in 2021. A judge dismissed the case in 2023, but a federal appeals court revived it in 2025.
The jury found the infringement was not wilful, meaning Apple did not deliberately copy the technology. The two patents, U.S. numbers 10,659,885 and 10,820,117, cover vibration-based tactile transducers that let users feel a device responding to touch.
Apple said it strongly disagrees with the verdict and will appeal. The company stated its Taptic Engine is "fundamentally different" from Taction's technology. The appeal process could take years before any payment is final.
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