patent dispute

A US jury has ruled that Apple must pay $5.7 billion, a record sum, in a patent dispute over haptic technology, the vibration feedback used in devices like the iPhone. The verdict ranks among the largest patent damages awards in US history, and attention is turning to whether Apple will appeal.

Qualcomm has renewed its global licensing agreement with Apple, extending the arrangement under which Apple pays to use Qualcomm's chip technology in its devices. The renewed deal is set to take effect on 1 April 2027, suggesting it covers the period after the current agreement expires. The renewal secures continued cooperation between the two companies, which have historically combined a major commercial relationship with patent and licensing disputes.

A jury has ordered Apple to pay $5.7 billion in damages over a patent dispute involving the haptic engine used in its devices. The verdict, one of the largest of its kind, comes despite Apple's history of successfully contesting patent rulings on appeal. Attention now turns to whether the company will seek to overturn the decision or settle.

First Solar is adjusting its approach to enforcing intellectual property rights related to TOPCon solar cell technology. The company, a leading US solar manufacturer, has previously pursued legal action to protect its proprietary thin-film and cadmium telluride innovations, and the recalibration signals a shift in how it plans to defend its TOPCon-related patents. Details of the revised enforcement strategy have not been disclosed.