That small tap you feel when a notification arrives on your Apple Watch, or the soft click on your iPhone screen, just got very expensive. A jury in San Diego found that Apple used two patents from a company called Taction in the vibration tech inside those devices, and set damages above $5.7 billion, CNBC reports. Apple plans to appeal. Turns out the priciest feature on your phone is the one you barely notice.
What Actually Happened
The trial started September 14. On Friday, seven jurors sided with Taction after two days of discussion, according to CNBC. Two days sounds long until you remember most of us can’t agree on a restaurant in two hours. Their final answer was not a small one.
Who Is Taction, Anyway?
Taction is a San Diego company that makes audio and gaming gear with vibration built in. Its tech powers Corsair’s haptic headphones, the kind that rumble along with the bass in a song or game. Their whole business is sound you can feel.
The Patents in Question
Both patents cover parts that turn bass vibrations into something you sense by touch. Patent language is famously hard to read, even for people who write it. Still, the idea is simple: a buzz that feels like a real click. In court, simple ideas can carry very large price tags.
Meet the Taptic Engine
That click is produced by the Taptic Engine, a small component in Apple’s make. It was first found in the Apple Watch in 2014, and the iPhone 6s a year later. It was replacing the older motor that was more of a drawer rattling phone.
The Five-Year Wait
Taction sued in 2021. A judge dismissed the case in 2023, then an appeals court revived it. Anyone who has waited weeks for a refund knows the feeling. Taction’s lawyer told CNBC they waited five and a half years for a trial. Patience is free until it’s worth billions.
Apple Says “Not So Fast”
In a statement to CNBC, Apple strongly disagrees with the verdict and the damages. It says its Taptic Engine works in a fundamentally different way. That reaction is understandable. Nobody enjoys a bill for something they believe they never took. But juries weigh evidence, and appeals exist for exactly this kind of disagreement.
One Small Win for Apple
The jury determined that the infringement was not intentional. That’s important, as willful cases can result in even greater damages. Consider it a speeding ticket with the officer acknowledging that you actually missed the sign. Still a ticket, but a milder ticket.
A Record-Breaking Buzz
Reuters reports it’s the largest US patent verdict to date. That’s a lot of weight for a feature most people only notice when their phone vibrates across a table. But small details grow huge when they ship in hundreds of millions of devices. A tiny idea multiplied by millions is no longer tiny.
What Happens Next
Often the size of the patent award is diminished or appealed, which may take years. Your iPhone and Apple Watch will continue to tap as normal for now. In tech, there’s some of the biggest battles that happen over the quietest features.
