Apple ordered to pay $5.7bn after losing vibration tech patent suit
A US jury found Apple infringed on another firm's patents for vibration technology and ordered the company to pay $5.7 billion in damages.
Apple has been ordered to pay $5.7 billion (£4.3 billion) in damages after a US jury found it had used another firm's technology without permission.
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 technology is built into devices like the iPhone and Apple Watch.
Apple has stated it strongly disagrees with the verdict and the damages awarded, calling them "entirely unsupported by the facts." The company said it would appeal, asserting that its "Taptic Engine is fundamentally different from Taction's technology."
Haptics allow users to interact with devices by simulating the sense of touch through vibrations, becoming a hallmark of modern electronics. Taction Technology alleged that Apple profited from its innovations by selling devices that infringe upon its patents.
The ruling marks one of several patent disputes Apple has faced recently. In November 2025, a judge ordered Apple to pay $634 million to medical tech firm Masimo after a jury found it infringed a patent for blood-oxygen reading technology used in Apple Watches.