Apple ordered to pay $5.7 billion in haptics patent verdict

KUALA LUMPUR, 28 SEPTEMBER 2026 —

A US jury has ordered Apple to pay $5.7 billion in damages after finding the iPhone and Apple Watch infringed two haptics patents owned by San Diego‑based Taction Technology, the firm said in its filing.

Taction, which produces headphones and gaming headsets, claimed in a 2021 lawsuit that Apple’s “Taptic Engine” – the vibration system first introduced with the Apple Watch in 2014 – used its patented haptic‑feedback technology without a licence. The patents were granted in 2020, according to the complaint.

The Southern District of California jury concluded that Apple’s devices employed Taction’s patented methods for generating vibration cues such as message alerts and button presses. The verdict, delivered on Friday, did not find Apple acted knowingly, but jurors awarded the full $5.7 billion in damages, the court record shows.

Apple responded that its Taptic Engine is “fundamentally different” from Taction’s technology and that the damages are “entirely unsupported by the facts.” The company said it will appeal the decision, a statement to Reuters confirmed.

The case follows a 2023 ruling by a San Diego judge that Apple did not infringe Taction’s patents, a decision later overturned by the federal appeals court that sent the matter to trial.

The verdict adds to a string of recent patent losses for Apple, including a November 2025 judgment that ordered the firm to pay $634 million to medical‑tech company Masimo for infringing blood‑oxygen sensor technology.

Legal analysts note that the $5.7 billion award, if upheld, would be one of the largest patent‑related damages ever imposed on a technology company. The appeal process could extend the dispute for months, potentially affecting Apple’s supply chain for haptic components, which are sourced from manufacturers in East Asia and the United States.

For now, Apple has not disclosed any changes to its product roadmap or sourcing strategy in response to the verdict. The company’s next steps will likely hinge on the outcome of its appeal and any possible settlement negotiations.