Apple ordered to pay more than $5.7 billion in Taction patent case, plans appeal
A federal jury in San Diego ruled on Sept. 28 that Apple must pay more than $5.7 billion to Taction Technology for infringing touch technology patents, setting what the report described as the largest patent damages award in U.S. history. The case began in 2021, when Taction accused Apple of infringing patents through iPhone and iPad products. Although a trial judge dismissed the case in 2023, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit later revived it, leading to a new trial and the latest jury verdict. According to the report, jurors found that Apple improperly benefited from Taction’s technological innovation and commercial results by selling infringing touch-enabled devices. During the litigation, Apple’s technology chief argued that the company’s haptic engine was fundamentally different from Taction’s technology, and early evidence on that point had been accepted by the district court. Even so, the jury ultimately sided against Apple. Apple said it disagrees with the decision and will appeal. A company spokesperson called the damages figure completely unsupported by the facts and said testing presented during trial showed differences between the two technologies. The report also noted Apple’s earlier patent dispute involving two Apple Watch models that were forced off shelves in 2025 over blood oxygen technology.
