On Sept. 25, 2026, a federal jury in San Diego found Apple Inc. infringed claims in two Taction Technology Inc. patents and awarded Taction more than $5.7 billion. The jury did not find the infringement willful. The case centers on the Apple Taptic Engine, used in iPhones and Apple Watches.
What the two haptics patents cover
The patents, U.S. Patent Nos. 10,659,885 and 10,820,117, concern vibration-based tactile transducers. These components produce vibrations people can feel as a device responds to an input—a familiar form of haptic feedback.
The dispute involved the Apple Taptic Engine in iPhones and Apple Watches. The jury’s award was for Taction; the verdict did not include a product-by-product damages breakdown.
Apple disputes the verdict and says it will appeal
Apple disputes both the infringement finding and the damages award. The company denies using Taction’s technology and says the Apple Taptic Engine is fundamentally different. Apple said it would appeal.
How the case reached trial
Taction sued Apple in 2021. Apple initially prevailed in 2023, but the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit later revived the case. The trial began on Sept. 14, 2026; seven jurors deliberated for two days before returning the verdict on Sept. 25.
