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Apple must pay more than USD 5.7 billion to Taction Technology. A US jury ruled that Apple's Taptic Engine used technology covered by two of the San Diego company's patents without permission. The verdict came on Friday. It is the largest patent award of its kind in the US so far, according to Reuters.
The case is about tech that creates tactile feedback through vibrations. Apple's Taptic Engine gives users the tapping feel on iPhones and Apple Watches. Taction sued Apple in 2021. The company said Apple copied its patented system without a license.
Apple denied the claims from day one. The company said its Taptic Engine works differently from Taction's tech. It also said the patents should not hold up at all. A federal judge in San Diego agreed with Apple in 2023. That court found no infringement.
But the fight did not stop there. Last year, the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit overturned that ruling. The case went back to trial. This time, the jury sided with Taction.
Apple has said it will appeal the new verdict. In a statement, the company said it strongly disagreed with the ruling and the damages. Apple also said Taction's own tests presented in court supported its claim that the two systems were not the same.
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Taction called the result a win for its patent rights. The company's attorney, Lance Yang, said the jury recognized the value of its work.
For now, the ruling stands. But it is not final. Apple's appeal means the case could run on for months, maybe years, before it truly ends.
The case also shows a bigger shift. Haptic feedback is now a big part of how people use phones and wearables. Patent fights over this tech are likely to grow more common in the industry.
