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A U.S. jury found Apple liable for more than $5.7 billion after deciding that the Taptic Engine in iPhones and Apple Watches infringed two Taction Technology patents. Apple says it will appeal, so this is a jury verdict—not a final outcome. The reporting on the case describes no recall, required software update, or immediate action for device owners.
What the jury decided
On September 25, 2026, a jury in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California found Apple liable to San Diego-based Taction Technology and awarded more than $5.7 billion in damages, Reuters reported. The jury found that Apple’s Taptic Engine infringed two Taction patents covering haptic feedback in iPhones and Apple Watches.
The award is a jury’s damages verdict, not a final resolution of the litigation. Apple has said it will appeal; post-trial proceedings and any appeal could affect whether the award stands, changes, is vacated, or leads to a settlement or licensing arrangement. The reports do not specify how the damages were calculated or allocate the award among particular products.
What the Taptic Engine does—and what Taction alleged
The Taptic Engine produces tapping and vibration sensations that users feel for notifications, button presses, and other interface interactions. Taction alleged that Apple used its patented vibration-based tactile-transducer technology without authorization. Bloomberg Law identified the patents at issue as U.S. Patent Nos. 10,659,885 and 10,820,117.
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The verdict concerns the patents and technology considered in this case. The available reporting does not give a complete model-by-model list of devices found to infringe, so it does not establish that every iPhone or Apple Watch generation is covered in the same way.
How the case reached a jury verdict
| Date | What happened |
|---|---|
| 2021 | Taction filed its lawsuit against Apple, according to Reuters and Bloomberg Law. |
| 2023 | A district-court ruling initially favored Apple, Bloomberg Law reported. |
| August 2025 | The Federal Circuit vacated the earlier judgment after errors involving excluded expert testimony and patent-claim interpretation, according to TechRepublic. |
| September 14, 2026 | The jury trial began, TechRepublic reported. |
| September 25, 2026 | The jury found Apple liable and awarded Taction more than $5.7 billion, Reuters and TechRepublic reported. |
The earlier judgment being vacated meant the case returned for further proceedings; it was not itself a finding that Apple infringed. The September 2026 jury reached the infringement finding after the new trial.
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- A FULL-FEATURED HEALTH TRACKER—Apple Watch Series 11 gives you invaluable insights about your body, right from your wrist. Take an ECG anytime* and get alerts for a high and low heart rate or an irregular rhythm*—so you can stay closer to your heart. You can also view your overnight health tracking metrics with the Vitals app* and be notified of possible sleep apnea.*
- KNOW YOUR SLEEP SCORE—With advanced sleep tracking, Series 11 gives you a daily sleep score. It’s an easy way to help measure and understand the quality of your sleep, so you can make it more restorative.
- GET HYPERTENSION NOTIFICATIONS—Did you know that Series 11 can spot signs of chronic high blood pressure? By analyzing how your blood vessels respond to beats of the heart, it can notify you of possible hypertension.*
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- A POWERFUL FITNESS TRACKER—With advanced metrics and motivating features like Pacer, Heart Rate Zones, training load, and Workout Buddy powered by Apple Intelligence from your nearby iPhone*—Series 11 is made to help everyone stay active, from runners and hikers to strength-training enthusiasts.
What Apple and Taction said
Apple disputed that its design used Taction’s technology. The company said: “Apple’s Taptic Engine is fundamentally different from Taction’s technology, which Taction’s own testing of Apple’s products confirmed during trial.” Apple also said: “Apple does not use Taction’s technology, and we will appeal.”
Taction attorney Lance Yang said: “We’re happy the jury found for Taction and vindicated its patent rights.” The jury found infringement but, according to Bloomberg Law and the other reporting cited, did not find that Apple acted willfully.
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What the verdict means for iPhone and Apple Watch owners
For owners, the immediate takeaway is that the dispute is legal and financial, not a reported product-safety or support action. The coverage reviewed does not describe a recall, required software update, or step owners need to take because of the verdict. It also does not announce a court-ordered product change.
The case could still affect the companies’ legal or commercial choices, but the verdict alone does not establish that a particular device will stop working, lose haptic features, or need replacement. Any practical change would depend on later court proceedings or an agreement between the parties; no such change is established by the reported verdict.
Quick Recap
Best Value
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- A FULL-FEATURED HEALTH TRACKER—Apple Watch Series 11 gives you invaluable insights about your body, right from your wrist. Take an ECG anytime* and get alerts for a high and low heart rate or an irregular rhythm*—so you can stay closer to your heart. You can also view your overnight health tracking metrics with the Vitals app* and be notified of possible sleep apnea.*
- KNOW YOUR SLEEP SCORE—With advanced sleep tracking, Series 11 gives you a daily sleep score. It’s an easy way to help measure and understand the quality of your sleep, so you can make it more restorative.
- GET HYPERTENSION NOTIFICATIONS—Did you know that Series 11 can spot signs of chronic high blood pressure? By analyzing how your blood vessels respond to beats of the heart, it can notify you of possible hypertension.*
- SAFETY FEATURES—A smartwatch that puts your safety first. Series 11 can detect a hard fall or severe car crash, automatically help connect you with emergency services, and notify your emergency contacts.* Check In can automatically notify a loved one when you’ve arrived at your destination.
- A POWERFUL FITNESS TRACKER—With advanced metrics and motivating features like Pacer, Heart Rate Zones, training load, and Workout Buddy powered by Apple Intelligence from your nearby iPhone*—Series 11 is made to help everyone stay active, from runners and hikers to strength-training enthusiasts.
Rank #4
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- GET SMARTER HEALTH INSIGHTS—Apple Watch SE 3 is an advanced health tracker that helps you better understand your body. The smartwatch sends alerts for an irregular heart rhythm, or an unusually high or low heart rate.* You can view your overnight health tracking metrics with the Vitals app,* track your sleep score, and get sleep apnea notifications.*
- A GREAT FITNESS TRACKER—SE 3 can track your workouts in a healthy number of ways—from running and strength training to simply achieving your 10K steps a day. With real-time metrics and Workout Buddy powered by Apple Intelligence from your nearby iPhone,* you’ll hit your goals like never before.
- KEEP HELP CLOSE AT HAND—SE 3 is a smartwatch that can detect a hard fall or severe car crash and automatically help connect you to emergency services and notify your emergency contacts.* Check In can automatically notify a loved one when you’ve arrived at your destination.
- WOMEN’S HEALTH INSIGHTS—SE 3 has advanced sensors that track your wrist temperature while you sleep. With this smartwatch, you can log your periods and symptoms, get period predictions, and get notified of cycle deviations.*
- GREAT BATTERY LIFE AND FASTER CHARGING—Enjoy a smartwatch with all-day, 18-hour battery life* from sunup to sundown. Then charge up to twice as fast as SE 2* and get up to 8 hours of battery in just 15 minutes.*
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