● Covered by 5 sources · 6 reportsMedium impact5 negative1 neutral
Apple ordered to pay $5.7 billion in patent infringement case over iPhone and Apple Watch haptics
Key points
- Jury awarded Taction Technology over $5.7 billion in damages.
- Apple found to infringe two haptics patents related to vibration technology.
- Lawsuit concerned Apple's Taptic Engine in iPhones and Apple Watches.
- Apple denies using Taction's technology and plans to appeal the verdict.
- Taction Technology is a San Diego-based company.
- Taction Technology produces audio and gaming peripherals.
- The lawsuit was filed in 2021.
- A federal judge dismissed the lawsuit in 2023.
- The US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit reinstated the lawsuit.
- The jury verdict was delivered on Friday.
- The jury found Apple unintentionally infringed the patents.
- The lawsuit centered around U.S. Patent Nos. 10,659,885 and 10,820,117.
- The patents involve vibration-based, tactile transducer technology.
- The jury found Apple infringed two claims in one patent and one in the other.
- Taptic Engine debuted in Apple Watch in 2014.
- Taptic Engine came to iPhone 6s and 6s Plus in 2015.
- Taptic Engine replaced older vibration motor in iPhones.
- Burford Capital's shares rose over 9% after the verdict.
- Burford Capital could be entitled to $1.4 billion from the verdict.
- Taction Technology stated the jury "vindicated its patent rights".
Jury Finds Apple Infringed Haptics Patents
A federal jury in San Diego has ordered Apple to pay Taction Technology more than $5.7 billion in damages. The verdict, delivered on Friday, concluded that Apple infringed claims from two of Taction's haptics patents. The jury deliberated for two days before reaching its decision.
Background of the Lawsuit
Taction Technology initiated the lawsuit against Apple in 2021 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California. Taction alleged that Apple was using its patented vibration technology in devices like the Apple Watch and iPhone without proper licensing. Apple had initially won a dismissal in 2023, but the Federal Circuit later revived the case, leading to the recent jury trial.
Patents and Technology Involved
The core of the lawsuit revolved around U.S. Patent Nos. 10,659,885 and 10,820,117. Both patents describe vibration-based, tactile transducer technology designed to provide users with feedback when interacting with a device. Taction specifically claimed that Apple's "Taptic Engine," integrated into its iPhones and Apple Watches, utilized these inventions without authorization.
Apple's Response and Future Actions
Apple has stated its intention to appeal the jury's finding. In a statement to Bloomberg Law, the company asserted that it "does not use Taction's technology." The jury did not find Apple's infringement to be willful.
Updates
- Burford Capital's shares rose over 9% after the verdict.
- Burford Capital could be entitled to $1.4 billion from the verdict.
- Taction Technology stated the jury "vindicated its patent rights".
- Taptic Engine debuted in Apple Watch in 2014.
- Taptic Engine came to iPhone 6s and 6s Plus in 2015.
- Taptic Engine replaced older vibration motor in iPhones.
- The lawsuit centered around U.S. Patent Nos. 10,659,885 and 10,820,117.
- The patents involve vibration-based, tactile transducer technology.
- The jury found Apple infringed two claims in one patent and one in the other.
- Taction Technology is a San Diego-based company.
- Taction Technology produces audio and gaming peripherals.
- The lawsuit was filed in 2021.
- A federal judge dismissed the lawsuit in 2023.
- The US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit reinstated the lawsuit.
- The jury verdict was delivered on Friday.
- The jury found Apple unintentionally infringed the patents.
✨ This summary was generated by AI from the outlets' reporting listed below. It is not independently verified and may contain errors — check the original sources. How BrevFeed works →
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How outlets covered it
A US jury ruled that Apple's Taptic Engine infringes on two patents held by Taction Technology, resulting in a $5.7 billion verdict against Apple. Litigation funder Burford Capital, which financed Taction's lawsuit, saw its shares rise over 9% due to a potential $1.4 billion entitlement from the verdict.
A US jury ordered Apple to pay $5.7 billion in damages to Taction Technology for infringing two patents related to haptics systems used in iPhones and Apple Watches. Apple stated it would appeal the verdict, claiming its Taptic Engine is fundamentally different from Taction's technology.
A US jury ruled Apple must pay Taction Technology $5.7 billion for infringing on two patents related to its Taptic Engine, used for haptic feedback in devices like the Apple Watch and iPhone. Apple plans to appeal the verdict, stating its technology is fundamentally different.
A federal jury in San Diego has ordered Apple to pay Taction over $5.7 billion in damages for infringing on two of its haptic technology patents. The lawsuit centered on Apple's Taptic Engine in iPhones and Apple Watches, which Taction claimed used its patented vibration-based tactile transducer technology without proper licensing. This ruling could set a precedent for intellectual property disputes involving core hardware functionalities in consumer electronics.
A federal jury ordered Apple to pay over $5.7 billion to Taction for infringing on two patents related to haptic feedback in iPhones and Apple Watches. This verdict, if upheld, would be one of the largest patent infringement payouts in the US, impacting Apple's financial outlook and potentially setting a precedent for future patent disputes.
A federal jury in San Diego awarded Taction Technology over $5.7 billion in damages after finding Apple infringed on two haptics patents. The lawsuit alleged Apple's Taptic Engine in iPhones and Apple Watches used Taction's vibration technology without license, a claim Apple denies and plans to appeal.