Apple Asks Court to Overturn Taction's $5.7 Billion Haptics Patent Verdict
Apple has filed a post-trial motion asking a federal court to set aside the $5.7 billion jury verdict won by Taction Technology over the Taptic Engine, the component that produces haptic feedback in iPhones and Apple Watches. 9to5Mac and ip fray reported the filing on 13 and 15 October 2026.
On 25 September 2026, a jury in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California found that the Taptic Engine infringed three claims of two Taction patents and awarded $5,721,961,750, ip fray reports. The jury rejected Apple's invalidity defences and found no wilful infringement. According to ip fray, Taction is funded by Burford Capital. Apple has called the award the largest patent verdict in history by more than $3 billion.
Apple's damages argument
As 9to5Mac describes the motion, Apple argues that Taction never presented evidence of what its technology was worth. Before trial, the court excluded the analysis of Taction's damages expert, who was later barred from testifying. Apple says jurors were simply asked to award whatever royalty they thought appropriate, which left them to engage in "impermissible guesswork on a massive scale". Apple also points to a remark by the judge, made before the award was read, that he was unsure the figure on the verdict form was what the jury meant to convey.
Apple's infringement argument
The patents describe a transducer whose output is "highly damped", meaning it produces consistent vibration across frequencies. Apple argues that its hardware shows a peaked response and that Taction's expert used a test designed for the litigation, which measured Apple's control electronics rather than the transducer itself. Apple also says that if Taction's reading of the claims is accepted, the claims would be invalid. Apple asks for judgment in its favour or, alternatively, a new trial. Taction's response is due on 3 November, according to ip fray.
Why this matters beyond the U.S.
Very large U.S. verdicts often shrink or disappear after post-trial motions and appeals, so headline numbers should be read with caution. In Indonesia, patent damages are decided by the Commercial Court judges without a jury, and the claimant must prove its losses. We are not aware of an Indonesian patent award of anywhere near this scale. Clear valuation evidence matters in every system.
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