Apple Hit With $5.7 Billion Patent Verdict Over Taptic Engine

A U.S. federal jury has ordered Apple to pay more than $5.7 billion in damages after finding that the company infringed on two patents owned by Taction, Reuters reported. The dispute centers on Apple's Taptic Engine technology, which provides haptic feedback across its hardware ecosystem. Apple denied using Taction's intellectual property, declared the disputed patents invalid, and stated its intention to appeal the ruling, according to the report. Burford Capital also commented on the patent matter following the verdict, TipRanks reported. The decision stands as one of the largest patent infringement awards in technology industry history, creating immediate legal and financial headwinds for the iPhone maker as it prepares to contest the decision in appellate court. The massive legal judgment comes alongside broader regulatory and legal friction for Apple globally. The UK's Competition Appeal Tribunal allowed a consumer lawsuit against both Apple and Amazon to proceed, TipRanks reported, citing Reuters. While corporate headlines were dominated by the legal judgment against Apple, broader equity futures slid into the session. Dow futures dropped 0.55%, Nasdaq futures fell 0.96%, and S&P 500 futures lost 0.51%. Energy markets pressed higher simultaneously, with WTI crude futures rising 4.23% to $96.32 per barrel after Bloomberg and Reuters reported that U.S. President Donald Trump rejected a seven-day proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. For Apple, the immediate focus turns to the appellate court process. A damages award of this magnitude represents a significant legal liability, even for a balance sheet as large as Apple's, and sets up a lengthy legal battle over the technology powering its primary consumer devices.