A federal jury in San Diego has ruled that Apple must pay $5.7 billion to Taction Technology for infringing on two patents covering vibration technology. The verdict, delivered on September 25, 2026, found that Apple's Taptic Engine, a component responsible for the tactile feedback in iPhones and Apple Watches, violated Taction's patented systems. Taction Technology, an audio haptics company, sued Apple in 2021, alleging that the tech giant had incorporated its patented inventions without proper licensing.
The core of the dispute involved two Taction patents, U.S. Patent Nos. 10,659,885 and 10,820,117, which describe methods for generating damped, electromagnetically actuated planar motion for audio-frequency vibrations. Taction claimed that Apple reverse-engineered its technology from Taction Kannon headsets to develop its Taptic Engine, which provides precise sensations like taps and vibrations. The company asserted that Apple's use of "world-class haptics" in its products, enabling features like the removal of the home button, was a direct result of capitalizing on Taction's innovation.
Apple has stated it disagrees with the verdict, asserting that its Taptic Engine is fundamentally different from Taction's technology. The company indicated plans to appeal the decision, with a spokesperson telling CNBC that Taction's own testing confirmed the difference during the trial. The jury, however, found that Apple had infringed on three patent claims across the two Taction patents. Notably, the jury did not find that Apple's infringement was willful, which would have potentially increased damages.
This legal battle has a complex history. Apple initially won a summary judgment of non-infringement in 2023. However, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit revived the case in 2025, finding that the lower court had erred in excluding parts of Taction's expert testimony and in its interpretation of the patent claims. Taction's lead counsel noted that the company waited over five years for the case to reach trial.
The jury's verdict does not mandate Apple to cease selling affected devices or redesign its Taptic Engine. The immediate consequences are financial, with the potential for the $5.72 billion award to be one of the largest patent infringement verdicts in U.S. history if it stands. The court docket had not yet shown an entered final judgment immediately after the verdict, meaning the $5.72 billion figure was not yet a settled amount.