BREAKING: Apple Hit With Historic $5.7B Patent Verdict

Federal jurors sided with a smaller technology company in a fight over the vibrations millions of people feel on their iPhones and Apple Watches. Apple says it will appeal.

By Dennis Byron | Hip Hop Enquirer

A tap on your wrist. The subtle buzz when you press an iPhone screen. Those familiar sensations are at the center of a staggering $5.7 billion patent verdict against Apple.

On Friday, September 25, a federal jury in San Diego found that Apple infringed two patents held by Taction Technology, a company that develops technology for creating physical sensations through electronic devices. The jury awarded Taction $5,721,961,750 in damages. Jurors did not find that Apple’s infringement was willful.

The dispute concerns Apple’s Taptic Engine, which produces the tactile feedback people feel while using iPhones and Apple Watches. Taction sued in 2021, alleging that the technology used its patented inventions without permission. Apple denied infringing the patents and challenged their validity. After an earlier ruling favored Apple, a federal appeals court revived the case in 2025, clearing the way for trial.

Apple disputes the jury’s conclusion. The company says its Taptic Engine is fundamentally different from Taction’s technology and has announced plans to appeal. That means the eye-catching award is a jury verdict, not a final payment: the judge’s post-trial rulings and an appeal could change the outcome or the amount.

For Hip Hop Enquirer readers, the case is a reminder that the technology behind a creative product has owners, rights and real value—even when the feature feels as ordinary as a phone vibrating. Music fans, artists and producers use these devices every day, but this lawsuit is about hardware patents, not music royalties or streaming payments.

There is another business angle to watch. Litigation funder Burford Capital said its agreement with Taction could entitle it to approximately $1.4 billion from the verdict. Burford also cautioned that large patent awards often change during post-trial proceedings.

The next chapter will unfold in court. Apple’s challenge to the verdict will determine whether this historic jury award stands—and, if so, how much Taction ultimately receives.