- A US jury ruled Apple owes $5.7 billion to Taction for patent infringement
- The dispute involves Taction patents on haptic feedback technology in Apple devices
- Apple said it will appeal, denying use of Taction’s patented technology
A US jury has ruled that Apple owes more than $5.7 billion to Taction, a San Diego-based technology company, after finding that Apple's Taptic Engine infringed two Taction patents covering technology used for haptic feedback.
Reuters reported that Friday's jury verdict represents the largest such verdict in the US to date involving the technology. Apple said it would appeal the decision.
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The patents at the centre of the dispute relate to technology that produces tactile feedback, including the tapping vibrations generated by Apple's Taptic Engine. The system is used in several Apple products, including iPhones and Apple Watches.
Apple rejected Taction's claims, arguing that its Taptic Engine is fundamentally different from Taction's technology. The company also maintained that it does not use Taction's patented technology and had previously challenged the validity of the patents.
"Apple does not use Taction's technology, and we will appeal," the company said in a statement.
Taction, which uses its technology in headphones and gaming headsets, welcomed the jury's decision. Its attorney, Lance Yang, said the verdict vindicated the company's patent rights.
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Taction filed the lawsuit against Apple in 2021. Apple denied the allegations and said the patents were invalid.
A federal judge in San Diego had ruled in Apple's favour in 2023, finding that the company had not infringed the patents. However, the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit revived the case last year, allowing the dispute to proceed to trial.
Apple has said it will appeal the latest verdict.
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