Apple’s “Taptic Engine” system – enabling haptic suggestions in its units – first debuted with the Apple Watch in 2014.
Since then, it has improved its underlying system, and with that expanded haptics in its units.
Taction, which makes headphones and gaming headsets, claimed in 2021 that these enhancements infringed patents it was issued in 2020.
It wrote in its grievance, exterior that by producing higher haptic vibrations in its units, Apple had been capable of enhance its total consumer expertise.
As such, the tech large had been “capitalising on Taction’s innovation and success by promoting units that infringe [its] patents”, Taction stated.
It additionally accused Apple of utilizing its innovations “with out license or authority”.
A San Diego choose dominated in 2023 that Apple didn’t infringe upon Taction’s patents.
Nonetheless, an enchantment was subsequently taken up by a federal enchantment circuit – leading to a September jury trial on the US District Courtroom for the Southern District of California which present in its favour.
In Friday’s verdict, exterior, jurors didn’t discover that Apple had infringed the patents in query willingly.
It marks one in every of many comparable lawsuits the tech large has defended itself towards in recent times.
In November 2025 a choose ordered Apple to pay $634m, exterior to medical tech agency Masimo after a jury discovered it had infringed a patent for blood-oxygen studying tech.
