US jury orders Apple to pay $5.7 billion in haptic patent case
A federal jury in San Diego found Apple infringed two patents held by haptics company Taction Technology, in a case coverage describes as a record damages award, with Apple saying it will appeal.
What happened
A federal jury in San Diego found that Apple infringed two patents held by Taction Technology related to vibration-based, tactile transducer (haptic) technology, and awarded Taction more than $5.7 billion in damages.25
Taction sued Apple in 2021, alleging infringement of two of its patents.2
The jury found that Apple's Taptic Engine, which produces tapping vibrations used in devices such as the iPhone and Apple Watch, infringed the Taction patents.35
Apple has said it plans to appeal the verdict.5
What's agreed
Reported consistently by outlets in more than one region.
How it's framed
What each perspective puts first, based on headlines and summaries.
| Perspective | How it reads | What it puts first |
|---|---|---|
| US technology and business pressNorth America | US outlets provide the most detail on the parties involved, the patents at issue, and Apple's response, framing the story primarily as a corporate patent dispute.25 | names Taction Technology as plaintiff, cites specific patent numbers, notes Apple's plan to appeal |
| African privately owned pressAfrica | Coverage frames the story around the size of the damages and the fact that Apple used another firm's technology without permission, with less detail on the litigants.1 | size of damages payment, use of unnamed 'another firm's tech' |
| South Asian privately owned pressSouth Asia | Coverage largely mirrors short wire-style framing, emphasizing the record size of the verdict and the Taptic Engine's role.3 | record damages figure, Taptic Engine infringement finding |
| Southeast Asian state-controlled mediaSoutheast Asia | CNA, a state-controlled outlet, carried a headline matching the same wire-style framing as other regional outlets, emphasizing the record damages figure and the haptic technology patent case; only its headline was reviewed.4 | record damages figure, state-controlled outlet, headline-only coverage |
What the coverage leaves out
- None of the outlets reviewed reported further details on the grounds for Apple's planned appeal.
- None of the outlets reviewed reported how the $5.7 billion figure was calculated by the jury.
- None of the outlets reviewed reported statements from Taction Technology beyond its allegations in the lawsuit.
- None of the outlets reviewed reported the potential impact of the verdict on Apple's products or pricing.
Why it matters
The lawsuit centered on U.S. Patent Nos. 10,659,885 and 10,820,117, both involving vibration-based, tactile transducer technology.2
What to watch
- Apple's planned appeal of the verdict.
Sources (5)
Every outlet we drew on, grouped by where it is based. Read the originals for the full reporting.
North America
Africa
- 1MyJoyOnlineGHPrivate
Apple ordered to pay $5.7bn after losing vibration tech patent suit
South Asia
- 3The Express TribunePKPrivate
US jury says Apple owes record $5.7 billion in haptic technology patent case
Southeast Asia
- 4CNASGState-controlled
US jury says Apple owes record $5.7 billion in haptic technology patent case