Apple has been ordered to pay more than $5.7bn for using patented technology from Taction Technology to power haptic feedback, the vibrations users feel when they receive a notification or press a button.
A jury in federal court in the Southern district of California found that the iPhone maker infringed two patents owned by the San Diego-based company.
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âÂÂWeâÂÂre happy the jury found for Taction and vindicated its patent rights,â said Taction attorney Lance Yang following the verdict on Friday.
The verdict is the culmination of a legal battle that began in 2021, when Taction first filed its lawsuit against Apple. In 2023, a federal judge ruled that Apple had not infringed TactionâÂÂs patents, but an appeals court revived the case last year.
âÂÂApple is capitalising on TactionâÂÂs innovation and success by selling devices that infringe TactionâÂÂs patents. Apple is utilising TactionâÂÂs patented inventions without license or authority from Taction. Taction has brought this action to remedy AppleâÂÂs infringement,â Taction said in the original 31-page complaint.
It also claimed that Apple âÂÂat a minimum believed there was a high probability that the accused products were covered by TactionâÂÂs patents, but willfully blinded itself to TactionâÂÂs patents and the infringing nature of the Accused ProductsâÂÂ.
The jury, however, found that Apple did not wilfully infringe the patents.
Apple said it plans to appeal the verdict.
âÂÂAppleâÂÂs Taptic Engine is fundamentally different from TactionâÂÂs technology, which TactionâÂÂs own testing of AppleâÂÂs products confirmed during trial,â Apple said in response.
The verdict comes at a pivotal moment for the company, amid transitions in its C-suite. In September, John Ternus took over as CEO from Tim Cook, who led Apple for 15 years. The leadership change comes as the Cupertino, California-based tech giant lags behind other major technology companies in rolling out its artificial intelligence products.
Apple shares fell on Monday, declining about two percent as trading got underway.