The technology giant behind some of the world’s most expensive gadgets has been ordered to pay a staggering KSh740 billion over technology it says it did not steal.
Apple has been ordered to pay more than US$5.7 billion, approximately KSh740 billion, to San Diego based Taction Technology after a US federal jury found that Apple’s Taptic Engine infringed two of Taction’s patents covering haptic technology.
The Taptic Engine is the technology responsible for the vibration feedback users experience when interacting with Apple devices, including iPhones and Apple Watches. Taction had accused Apple of using its patented technology without authorisation.
The dispute dates back to 2021, when Taction filed its lawsuit against Apple. The case was initially dismissed in 2023 but was later revived by an appeals court, paving the way for a federal trial that began in September 2026.
Taction argued that Apple’s technology infringed two of its patents, while Apple maintained that its Taptic Engine was fundamentally different from Taction’s technology and challenged the validity of the patents.
The jury ultimately ruled in Taction’s favour and awarded the company more than US$5.7 billion in damages. The jury, however, did not find that Apple had willfully infringed the patents.
Apple has rejected the verdict and said it intends to appeal. The company maintains that it does not use Taction’s patented technology and has described the damages awarded as unsupported by the facts.
