September 29, 2026, 11:45 am | Read time: 3 minutes
A feature that iPhone and Apple Watch owners use daily could become very costly for Apple. A U.S. jury has awarded Taction Technology more than $5.7 billion in damages. The background is a long-standing dispute over patents for haptic feedback.
The focus of the case is the Taptic Engine. This technology generates tactile feedback in iPhones and Apple Watches, such as vibrations for certain inputs or notifications. Taction Technology accuses Apple of infringing on two of its patents with this technology. A jury in San Diego has now sided with this argument.
Billion-Dollar Dispute Over Vibrations in Phones and Watches
The legal dispute specifically revolves around U.S. patents 10,659,885 and 10,820,117. They involve technologies for “tactile transducers” that produce vibrations perceivable by touch. According to the U.S. news magazine “CNBC,” Taction Technology uses its technology in products such as headphones and gaming headsets.
The company filed a lawsuit against Apple in 2021. The allegation: The Taptic Engine uses Taction Technology’s protected inventions without the necessary license or permission. Apple denies this accusation.
Initially, things looked good for Apple. In 2023, a federal judge ruled in favor of the manufacturer. However, the legal battle was not over. A U.S. appeals court took up the case again in 2025. The trial before the jury finally began on September 14, 2026. On September 25, the decision was made in favor of Taction Technology. The jury of seven found infringement of claims from both patents. At the same time, the jury did not consider the patent infringement to be willful.
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Apple Will Not Accept the Verdict
The amount of damages awarded is particularly noteworthy. The jury set it at exactly $5,721,961,750. According to several U.S. media outlets, this is an exceptionally high patent decision, and the sum is even the largest patent damages ever awarded by a U.S. jury.
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However, it is not yet certain that Apple will have to pay the entire amount. The company has already announced plans to challenge the decision. The legal dispute is therefore not concluded. Apple told “CNBC”:
“While we appreciate the jury’s consideration of the case, we absolutely disagree with today’s verdict and the awarded damages, which are in no way supported by the facts. Apple’s Taptic Engine is fundamentally different from Taction’s technology, as confirmed by Taction’s own tests of Apple products during the proceedings. Apple does not use Taction’s technology, and we will appeal.”
With this, the company disputes both the established patent infringement and the amount of damages. In Apple’s view, its technology is fundamentally different from Taction Technology’s developments.
Dispute Is Not Yet Settled
Even though the billion-dollar sum is making headlines, it is initially a jury’s decision and not yet the final outcome of the legal dispute. Apple can still legally challenge the awarded amount and the decision. Therefore, it is currently unclear what amount the company will ultimately have to pay.
For Taction Technology, the jury’s verdict is still an important success. Attorney Lance Yang, who represents the company in the case, told “CNBC” that they are pleased with the jury’s verdict. For Taction, a long legal battle has paid off after five and a half years of waiting.