A federal jury in California recently ordered Apple to pay $5.7 billion to San Diego‑based Taction Technology for infringing two haptic‑feedback patents. The case, filed in 2021, hinged on Apple’s Taptic Engine, the tiny motor that gives iPhones and Apple Watches their signature taps. Apple’s defense argued that the Taptic Engine is a fundamentally different design and that it did not act willfully.
Taction, founded by former Qualcomm engineer Ravi Patel, built its patents in a cramped garage while juggling a family of three. Its patents cover advanced tactile sensation features that the jury said were used in Apple’s devices.
The jury found Apple liable, but noted the company did not act willfully. Lance Yang, Taction’s lawyer, celebrated the verdict as a vindication for small innovators, saying the five‑and‑a‑half‑year fight had finally paid off.
Apple issued a statement declaring the damages unsupported, claiming the Taptic Engine is distinct from Taction’s technology, and announced an appeal. The company maintains that the $5.7 billion award will not be paid immediately while the case goes through higher courts.
The ruling could set a precedent for how major firms handle haptic‑feedback patents, potentially reshaping the industry’s approach to innovation.