Apple hit with $5.7B haptics patent verdict

A U.S. federal jury in San Diego on Sept. 26, 2026 found that Apple infringed two patents held by Taction Technology and awarded the company more than $5.7 billion in damages. The award is described as among the largest reported judgments in U.S. patent litigation involving haptic feedback technology.

The verdict concludes a jury trial focused on Apple’s use of haptics in iPhones and Apple Watches. Jurors determined that Apple’s products infringed Taction’s patented vibration-based tactile transducer technology and set damages accordingly.

The patents at the center of the dispute are U.S. Patent Nos. 10,659,885 and 10,820,117. These patents cover low-frequency vibration tactile transducer technology designed to generate vibrations perceptible to the sense of touch.

Taction argued that Apple’s Taptic Engine, which provides haptic feedback in iPhones and Apple Watches, uses this patented technology without a license. The company maintained that its intellectual property underpins the vibration effects experienced by users in those devices.

Apple, by contrast, has stated that it does not use Taction’s technology and that its Taptic Engine is fundamentally different from Taction’s designs. This disagreement over whether Apple’s implementation falls within the scope of Taction’s patents is expected to be a central issue on appeal.

The lawsuit was originally filed in 2021 in federal court in San Diego. In 2023, a federal judge dismissed the case, halting the litigation at the district court level.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit later revived the lawsuit, allowing Taction’s claims to proceed and clearing the way for a jury trial. That appellate decision led to the September 2026 verdict and multi-billion-dollar damages award.

Apple has said it will appeal the jury’s decision. Post-trial motions in the district court and review by the appellate courts are expected, which could affect the final outcome, including the size and enforceability of the damages award.

The more than $5.7 billion verdict underscores the potential financial exposure large technology companies face in patent disputes over components embedded in widely used consumer devices. Haptic feedback systems, though largely invisible to users, can carry substantial intellectual property value.

For Taction, the jury’s decision represents a significant validation of its patent portfolio and its claims regarding low-frequency tactile transducer technology. For Apple, the case adds a major contested judgment to its broader intellectual property litigation landscape, with the final outcome dependent on pending appeals and post-trial proceedings.