A federal jury in San Diego has ordered Apple to pay Taction Technology USD 5.72 billion (about PHP 358 billion) after finding that the Taptic Engine in iPhones and Apple Watches infringes two of Taction’s haptics patents.
The jury returned its verdict on Friday, September 25, in Taction Technology, Inc. v. Apple Inc. at the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California. It did not find the infringement willful, which limits Taction’s ability to seek enhanced damages.
“Apple does not use Taction’s technology, and we will appeal,” the company told CNBC. Apple said its Taptic Engine is fundamentally different from Taction’s technology, citing Taction’s own testing of Apple products during the trial.
Taction’s law firm, Quinn Emanuel, said the jury found that Apple infringed U.S. Patent Nos. 10,659,885 and 10,820,117, and rejected Apple’s invalidity defenses. The firm calls it the largest patent jury verdict in U.S. history.
Both patents describe tactile transducers that produce bass-frequency vibrations people can feel through touch, according to Bloomberg Law. Taction, a San Diego company, uses its haptics technology in headphones and gaming headsets.
Taction sued Apple in 2021. Judge Todd W. Robinson granted Apple summary judgment of non-infringement in 2023, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit revived the case in 2025.
The verdict is not a final payment. Apple can challenge the award in post-trial motions before Robinson and then appeal to the Federal Circuit. No injunction or sales ban has been reported.