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Now, this is a big one. A federal jury in San Diego has ordered Apple to pay $5.7 billion to Taction Technology after finding that the iPhone and Apple Watch infringe two of Taction’s patents on haptic feedback. If you’re wondering what that is, haptic feedback is the small, precise vibration you feel when you tap, type or get a notification on your phone.
The verdict came on Friday, September 26, in the US District Court for the Southern District of California. According to court filings, the exact award is $5,721,961,750. Reports describe it as one of the largest patent damages awards in US history.
The case is about Apple’s Taptic Engine, the small vibration motor inside iPhones and Apple Watches that makes taps and alerts feel like physical clicks. Taction, a San Diego company that makes audio and gaming accessories with haptic feedback, argued that the Taptic Engine uses its patented technology for tactile transducers, which are parts that turn electrical signals into vibrations you can feel.
Here is what we know about the case:
- Plaintiff: Taction Technology
- Patents: US Patent Nos. 10,659,885 and 10,820,117
- Products named: certain iPhone and Apple Watch models
- Damages: about $5.72 billion
- Willfulness: the jury did not find that Apple infringed on purpose
Taction first sued Apple in 2021. Apple won an early ruling in 2023 that ended the case, but a federal appeals court overturned that decision in 2025, sending the case to trial.
Apple rejected the verdict. “We strongly disagree with today’s verdict and the damages awarded, which are entirely unsupported by the facts,” the company said. Apple added that its Taptic Engine “is fundamentally different from Taction’s technology” and said it will appeal.
Taction’s lawyer, Lance Yang, said the company was “happy the jury found for Taction and vindicated its patent rights.”
So, what does this mean for you? For now, nothing changes for iPhone or Apple Watch owners. The verdict doesn’t stop sales, and the appeal could take a long time. Please note that large patent awards are often reduced or thrown out on appeal, so the final amount Apple pays, if anything, could be very different from the $5.7 billion the jury awarded.