Signal Apple faces $5.7 billion patent infringement verdict over iPhone and Apple Watch haptics

Summary

A federal jury in San Diego ordered Apple on Friday, Sept. 25, 2026 to pay more than $5.7 billion to haptics company Taction Technology. The jury found that the Taptic Engine, the vibration hardware in iPhones and Apple Watches, infringed two of Taction's patents. Taction filed the lawsuit in 2021 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California. The trial began Sept. 14, and seven jurors deliberated for two days before returning the verdict at 1:15 p.m. Pacific time. The award is described as the largest patent verdict in U.S. history. Apple said it strongly disagrees, that it does not use Taction's technology, and that it will appeal.