Apple has been ordered to pay $5.7bn (£4.3bn) in damages after a US jury found the tech giant used haptic vibration technology patented by audio firm Taction Technology without permission. The September verdict from the US District Court for the Southern District of California stems from a patent infringement lawsuit originally filed in 2021.
Taction Patent Infringement Claims and Trial History
Taction Technology, a maker of headphones and gaming headsets, accused Apple of infringing two patents issued in 2020. According to Taction’s complaint, Apple improved its haptic feedback systems—allowing devices to simulate the sense of touch through vibrations—to enhance the user experience on products including the iPhone and Apple Watch. Taction argued that Apple capitalized on its innovations without a license or authority.
The legal battle saw a different outcome initially, when a San Diego judge ruled in 2023 that Apple did not infringe upon the patents. However, a federal appeal circuit took up the case subsequently, leading to the September jury trial that ruled in Taction’s favor. Jurors determined that Apple did not commit willful infringement.
Apple Response and Legal Precedents
Apple strongly disputed the verdict and announced plans to appeal the decision. In a statement provided to CNBC and other news outlets, the company maintained that its proprietary Taptic Engine is fundamentally different from Taction’s technology, pointing to Taction’s own testing during the trial to support its position. “While we thank the jury for their consideration, we strongly disagree with today’s verdict and the damages awarded, which are entirely unsupported by the facts,” Apple stated.
This litigation joins a series of high-stakes patent disputes defended by Apple in recent years. In November 2025, a federal judge ordered Apple to pay $634m to medical technology firm Masimo after a jury found Apple infringed a patent related to blood-oxygen reading technology.
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