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Apple Ordered to Pay $5.7 Billion in Patent Dispute
Confirmed
In Short: This case follows a pattern of high-profile patent disputes for Apple. In November 2025, a judge ordered Apple to pay $634 million to medical tech firm Masimo after a jury found it had infringed a patent for blood-oxygen reading technology.
The verdict, delivered on Friday, found that Apple infringed on two patents owned by Taction, a San Diego-based company. Taction attorney Lance Yang expressed satisfaction with the jury's decision, stating, 'We’re happy the jury found for Taction and vindicated its patent rights.
The legal battle began in 2021 when Taction filed a lawsuit against Apple, claiming the tech giant was capitalizing on its innovation without permission. Taction argued that Apple's use of its patented inventions without a license or authority had infringed upon its patents.
Apple, however, maintains that its Taptic Engine technology is fundamentally different from Taction's. The company stated, 'Apple’s Taptic Engine is fundamentally different from Taction’s technology, which Taction’s own testing of Apple’s products confirmed during trial.
The jury found that Apple did not wilfully infringe the patents, but the decision still requires Apple to pay substantial damages. Apple has already indicated its intention to appeal the verdict.
The ruling comes at a critical time for Apple, as John Ternus took over as CEO from Tim Cook in September. Ternus now faces the challenge of navigating the company through this significant financial setback.
In 2023, a federal judge initially ruled that Apple had not infringed Taction’s patents, but an appeals court revived the case last year. This latest verdict is a major blow to Apple, which has been ordered to pay $5.7 billion in damages.
Taction’s complaint highlighted that by improving haptic vibrations in its devices, Apple had enhanced its overall user experience, thereby infringing on Taction’s patents.
This case follows a pattern of high-profile patent disputes for Apple. In November 2025, a judge ordered Apple to pay $634 million to medical tech firm Masimo after a jury found it had infringed a patent for blood-oxygen reading technology.
What this adds
The exact amount of damages and the specific patents infringed upon have been clarified through the legal proceedings.
The transition in Apple's C-suite leadership adds a new dimension to the company's response to this legal challenge.
What's confirmed
- “Apple’s Taptic Engine is fundamentally different from Taction’s technology, which Taction’s own testing of Apple’s products confirmed during trial,” Apple said in response.
- Apple has been ordered to pay $5.7bn (£4.3bn) in damages after a US jury found it had used another firm's tech without permission.
- Apple said it had not used Taction's vibration tech and would appeal the verdict.
- Audio firm Taction Technology claimed in 2021 that Apple had infringed two of its patents for haptics systems, which enable vibrations for actions such as receiving a message or pressing a button.
- This tech is built into devices like the iPhone and Apple Watch.
What's still developing
- It also claimed that Apple “at a minimum believed there was a high probability that the accused products were covered by Taction’s patents, but willfully blinded itself to Taction’s patents and the infringing nature of the Accused Products”.
- The verdict comes at a pivotal moment for the company, amid transitions in its C-suite.
- Taction, which makes headphones and gaming headsets, claimed in 2021 that these improvements infringed patents it was issued in 2020.
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