Jury awards billions in damages in case against Apple
A US jury ruled that Apple had infringed two patents relating to haptic feedback.
A federal jury in California has held Apple liable for infringing two patents held by Taction Technology. The jury awarded the company $5.72 billion in damages, but the verdict is not yet the final word in the case.
The case concerns haptic feedback: vibrations users feel when, for example, they press a button or receive a notification. Taction Technology argued that Apple's Taptic Engine uses technology covered by two of its US patents.
On 25 September, the jury in the federal court for the Southern District of California arrived at an amount of $5,721,961,750. The two patents are US 10,659,885 and US 10,820,117. The ruling concerned claims in those patents that the jury found Apple had infringed.
The jury did not find that Apple had wilfully infringed the patents. That distinction is legally important because a finding of wilful infringement in US patent cases can lead to higher damages. Public court information also states that no final judgment had yet been entered on the docket.
Apple has challenged the ruling and announced that it will appeal. According to a statement published by Reuters, Apple denies using Taction's technology and considers both the liability finding and the damages amount insufficiently substantiated.
The amount is exceptionally large for a patent case, but it does not automatically mean that Apple must immediately pay $5.72 billion. The court and an appellate court may first still consider procedural issues, the calculation of damages and whether the ruling should stand.
For the market, the scope is particularly important. Haptic components are found in many consumer devices and are used by multiple manufacturers. The ruling could therefore affect licensing negotiations and future patent proceedings, but no order has yet been reported to withdraw iPhones or Apple Watches from sale.
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The ruling, the amount, the patents involved and Apple's intended appeal have been confirmed by public legal and journalistic sources. The article describes the financial consequences cautiously while a final judgment is still pending.
- confirmed A federal jury in California awarded Taction Technology $5,721,961,750. — The amount appears in the court analysis and is confirmed by Reuters. source
- confirmed The case concerns two US patents relating to haptic technology. — The case and patent numbers appear in the public court information. source
- confirmed The jury found no wilful infringement. — This is stated in the public analysis of the jury verdict. source
- confirmed Apple has announced that it will appeal. — Reuters quotes Apple's response to the ruling. source
Editor's note
The jury verdict and the amount have been confirmed. This is not yet an irrevocable final judgment; Apple has announced an appeal and the precise consequences for products remain unknown.Sources
More on this in Dutch media
- De Telegraaf — „apple taction technology”
- de Volkskrant — „apple taction technology”
- NOS — „apple taction technology”