US jury says Apple owes record $5.7 billion in haptic technology patent case

A US jury has ruled that Apple must pay Taction over $5.7 billion in damages for allegedly infringing on the company's patented haptic technology used in iPhones and Apple Watches. The verdict, which is the largest of its kind, found that Apple's Taptic Engine, responsible for creating the tapping vibrations, violated two Taction patents.

Apple maintains that its Taptic Engine is fundamentally different from Taction's technology, which was confirmed through testing during the trial. Despite this, Apple plans to appeal the decision. Taction, which utilizes its patented technology in headphones and gaming headsets, filed the lawsuit in 2021. The attorney representing Taction expressed satisfaction with the jury's verdict, which upheld the company's patent rights.

Apple had previously denied the allegations and claimed the patents were invalid. The case was revived by the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit after a previous ruling found that Apple did not infringe on the patents.