A U.S. jury on September 25, 2026, found Apple infringed two Taction Technology patents involving haptics and awarded damages reported at roughly $5.7 billion (£4.3 billion). Apple disagreed with the verdict and said it would appeal.
What the verdict covered
Haptic feedback uses vibration to simulate touch, such as a pulse when a message arrives or a button is pressed. Haptics are used in device categories including iPhone and Apple Watch. Apple’s Taptic Engine debuted with Apple Watch in 2014.
The jury found infringement but did not find that it was willful. Those are separate questions: the non-willfulness finding does not determine whether Apple developed its technology independently or knew of Taction’s patents.
How the case reached the jury
Taction Technology, which makes headphones and gaming headsets, claimed in 2021 that Apple infringed two patents issued to Taction in 2020. A San Diego judge ruled for Apple in 2023; after an appeal, the case proceeded to a jury trial in September 2026.
| Date | Case development |
| 2020 | Two patents at issue were issued to Taction Technology. |
| 2021 | Taction claimed Apple infringed the patents. |
| 2023 | A San Diego judge ruled for Apple. |
| September 25, 2026 | A jury found infringement and awarded damages. |
Apple disputes the finding
Apple says its Taptic Engine is fundamentally different from Taction’s technology. The jury’s reported finding was that Apple infringed the two patents; its separate finding was that the infringement was not willful.
