Apple was just ordered to pay $5.7 BILLION because of two patents.
And it’s now the largest patent infringement verdict in U.S. history.
Every time you feel that little vibration when you tap something on your iPhone or Apple Watch, that comes from Apple’s Taptic Engine.
But a company called Taction Technology had patents covering the same vibration-based haptic technology.
Taction sued Apple, claiming the Taptic Engine infringed two of those patents.
Apple argued that its technology was completely different and that the patents were invalid.
But a federal jury just sided with Taction and awarded them more than $5.7 billion.
Apple says it’s going to appeal, so the case still isn’t over.
But this is exactly why patents matter.
You can build one of the biggest companies in the world, spend billions developing a product, and still get hit with a patent you didn’t realize was in your way