Apple has challenged a $5.7 billion verdict in a patent dispute with Taction Technology. The request for its overturn was filed in a federal court, as reported by AppleInsider and 9to5mac. Both outlets state that this is the largest verdict in patent law history, surpassing the previous record by more than $3 billion.
Apple Challenges Verdict: Jury Allegedly Speculated
According to AppleInsider and 9to5mac, Apple claims that the jury arrived at the amount based on speculation rather than evidence. Taction allegedly did not provide documentation regarding the value of its technology and simply asked the jury to "award a reasonable royalty that it deems appropriate."
In its motion, Apple states: "Taction failed to meet its burden of presenting evidence that would allow the jury to reasonably connect a specific amount to the infringing acts. Without such evidence, the jury had no choice but to speculate, which is contrary to the court's instructions and binding precedent from the Federal Circuit."
Dispute Over Haptic Feedback and Taptic Engine
Taction Technology sued Apple in April 2021, claiming that the company infringed on two of its patents related to haptic feedback and that the Taptic Engine in Apple Watch is a reverse-engineered copy of this technology. In September, the jury ruled in favor of Taction. According to AppleInsider, the jury acknowledged patent infringement but not willful infringement. Conversely, techbytes.app reports that the jury concluded there was willful infringement.
Apple argues that the Taptic Engine fundamentally differs from the patented technology. The patent describes a heavily damped output from the transducer, while Apple's technology is based on undamped resonance. According to 9to5mac, an expert from Taction was excluded from testifying about the damages due to errors in estimating the royalty rate and was later completely barred from testifying.
Apple also claims that Taction's technical expert, Dr. Oliver, used a manipulated test to demonstrate patent infringement. "No reasonable juror could determine that the output from the transducer is heavily damped in the accused products, as required by the court's interpretation. Instead of assessing the heavily damped output using the patent's test, Taction's theory of infringement relied on a legally flawed test manipulated for this case by Dr. Oliver," the motion states.
According to 9to5mac, the judge told attorneys before the verdict was announced that he "was not sure that the number appearing in the verdict was what the jury intended to convey."
What Apple is Requesting from the Court
Apple wants the court to rule that Taction is not entitled to damages, that Apple does not infringe on the patents, and that the patents are invalid. If unsuccessful, Apple requests a new trial on patent infringement, their invalidity, and the amount of damages. According to AppleInsider, the company filed the motion on Tuesday, while techbytes.app cites the date as October 14, 2026.
The Taptic Engine provides haptic feedback in iPhones and Apple Watches. Its production costs, according to available data, range from $3 to $5.