Apple has been ordered to pay $5.7 billion in damages after a US jury found that the technology giant infringed patents covering vibration technology used in devices such as the iPhone and Apple Watch.
The verdict follows a patent lawsuit filed in 2021 by Taction Technology, an audio technology company that accused Apple of using its patented haptic technology without authorisation.
Haptics allow electronic devices to simulate the sense of touch through vibrations. The technology is widely used in smartphones, smartwatches, gaming controllers and other consumer electronics to provide physical feedback when users press buttons, receive notifications or perform other actions.
Taction alleged that Apple’s improvements to its haptic systems infringed two patents issued to the company in 2020.
Apple disputed the allegations, maintaining that its technology was fundamentally different from Taction’s inventions.
“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 said.
The company added that its Taptic Engine was fundamentally different from Taction’s technology, pointing to testing of Apple’s products that it said supported its position.
Apple introduced its Taptic Engine with the first Apple Watch in 2014 and has since expanded and refined haptic feedback across its product range.
The system allows devices to produce precise vibrations that correspond to specific actions, giving users physical feedback when interacting with their devices.
Taction, which develops headphones and gaming headsets, argued that Apple’s subsequent improvements to the technology amounted to infringement of its patents.
The company accused Apple of “capitalising on Taction’s innovation and success” by selling products that allegedly incorporated its patented technology without a licence.
The latest verdict follows a lengthy legal battle.
A San Diego federal judge ruled in Apple’s favour in 2023, finding that the company had not infringed Taction’s patents. The dispute was subsequently taken to a federal appeals court, which led to the September jury trial at the US District Court for the Southern District of California.
The jury ultimately sided with Taction and awarded the company $5.7 billion.
However, jurors did not find that Apple had wilfully infringed the patents, a finding that could have affected the damages awarded.
