Record-Breaking $5.7B Patent Verdict Against Apple Over Taptic Engine
In a landmark decision hailed as the largest patent verdict in U.S. history, a federal jury in San Diego has mandated Apple to pay a staggering $5.7 billion in damages to Taction Technology. This San Diego-based firm specializes in the development of haptic feedback technology for headphones and gaming peripherals.
The lawsuit, initiated by Taction in 2021, revolved around Apple’s signature Taptic Engine. This integral component, embedded in iPhones and Apple Watches, provides tactile vibration feedback to users. Taction claimed that the Taptic Engine violated two of its patents (U.S. Patent Nos. 10,659,885 and 10,820,117), both of which outline vibration-based, tactile transducer technology. After two days of deliberation, the jury returned a verdict in Taction’s favor on Friday, September 26.
Interestingly, the jury determined that Apple’s infringement was not willful. This implies that Taction cannot pursue enhanced damages, which could have tripled the award under U.S. patent law. Apple has staunchly refuted the allegations, asserting that its Taptic Engine is “fundamentally different from Taction’s technology” and that Taction’s own trial testing of Apple’s products confirmed this. The tech behemoth has declared its intention to appeal the verdict.
Legal pundits warn that large patent damages are often reduced or overturned on appeal, leaving the final amount Apple may owe — if any — in a state of uncertainty. Nonetheless, the case has already sent shockwaves through the tech and IP law sectors, prompting debates about hardware innovation and intellectual property strategy in the consumer electronics industry.
Source: CNBC – Apple faces $5.7 billion patent infringement verdict over iPhone and Apple Watch haptics