Apple ordered to pay $5.7bn after losing vibration tech patent suit

Apple has been ordered to pay a staggering $5.7 billion in damages after a US jury ruled that the tech giant had used another firm's vibration technology without permission. The lawsuit was filed by audio company Taction Technology in 2021, alleging that Apple had infringed upon two of their patents related to haptics systems. These systems, which allow devices to generate vibrations for actions like receiving a message or pressing a button, are incorporated into popular products such as iPhones and Apple Watches.

Apple swiftly appealed the verdict, maintaining that their Taptic Engine technology is fundamentally distinct from Taction's, as confirmed by Taction's own testing of Apple's products during the trial. The company argued that their advancements in haptic feedback, first introduced with the Apple Watch in 2014 and further refined over the years, were not based on Taction's technology.

In 2023, a San Diego judge had ruled in favor of Apple, stating that the company did not infringe on Taction's patents. However, an appeal to a federal appeals circuit court led to a September trial at the US District Court for the Southern District of California, which ultimately favored Taction. The jury found that Apple had not infringed on Taction's patents intentionally, marking yet another legal battle for the tech giant.