US Jury Says Apple Owes Record $5.7 Billion in Haptic Technology Patent Case

A U.S. jury has found that Apple must pay more than $5.7 billion to a San Diego-based company for infringing on two patents related to haptic technology in the iPhone and Apple Watch.

The verdict, reached on Friday in a federal court in San Diego, was the largest U.S. patent verdict of its kind so far, Reuters reported. The ruling was over the Taptic Engine technology used by Apple to create the tapping and vibration sensations people feel when they interact with some Apple devices.

Taction filed the suit against Apple in 2021, claiming that Apple's products include technology covered by the patents. The patents are for tactile transducers that produce tactile vibrations with a low frequency. The technology Taction has is used for headphones and gaming headsets.

Apple has always denied the claims since the beginning of the case. After the jury verdict, Apple stated that its Taptic Engine differs significantly from the accused Taction patent and that trial testing by Apple demonstrated that difference. Apple stated that it does not utilize Taction's patented technology, and that it intends to appeal the verdict.

The case was once before Apple. In 2023 a federal judge in San Diego dismissed the patent claims against Apple without a trial. But in 2025, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit reinstated the case after saying the district court excluded expert testimony improperly.

Taction said the jury's decision was a victory for it. "Taction was pleased that the jury saw the evidence and believed in our patent rights," said Taction's lawyer, Lance Yang. The verdict came after years of legal battles between the technology firm and Apple.

Another component of the case was the lawsuit's financing arrangements. Court papers and media reports revealed that litigation financier Burford Capital's investment companies helped finance the lawsuit. Apple argued for more disclosure around those arrangements in the case.

The decision is not final on the appeals table and will likely be an appellate court. Under certain circumstances, the iphone14 defendant could file an appeal of the infringement ruling or damages award, which could delay a final resolution.

This case points to the increasing legal and financial threats facing big tech companies from patent-centric features such as touch feedback, sound, screens and other hardware. For Apple, the appeal will decide whether the record award will ultimately stand, be lowered or overturned.