Apple ordered to pay $5.7 billion in Taction patent dispute
The jury award, which Apple plans to appeal, would be among the largest U.S. patent verdicts if it stands.
A federal jury has ordered Apple to pay Taction more than $5.7 billion, a verdict that could rank among the largest U.S. patent awards if it stands and exceed the $3 billion Intel case cited in the report. Taction brought the case in 2021, alleging that the Taptic Engine in iPhone and Apple Watch models used two of its haptic-feedback patents. A judge dismissed the suit in 2023, but an appellate ruling later returned it to court. The jury found the infringement was unintentional, and Apple disputes both the verdict and the damages and plans to appeal.
Why it matters
This verdict turns a long-running patent fight over haptic-feedback technology in iPhones and Apple Watch models into a multibillion-dollar risk for Apple. If the award survives appeal, it would rank among the biggest U.S. patent damages rulings, eclipsing another high-profile $3 billion case, and could influence how large tech companies assess and license similar technologies. Apple’s planned appeal means the size and impact of the award will likely be contested for years.
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Sources
- Engadget