Apple and Immersion Reach Licensing Agreement After Legal Battle Over 3D Touch and Taptic Engine - MacRumors
Skip to Content

Apple and Immersion Reach Licensing Agreement After Legal Battle Over 3D Touch and Taptic Engine

by

Immersion, a company that develops and licenses haptic feedback technologies, today announced it has reached a settlement and licensing agreement with Apple. The terms of the deal are confidential.

apple watch taptic engine
Immersion describes itself as the leading innovator of haptic feedback systems, with more than 2,600 issued or pending patents. The company, headquartered in San Jose, California, says its technology has been adopted in more than three billion consumer electronic devices across several industries.

Immersion had filed a pair of lawsuits against Apple in early 2016, accusing the company of infringing on its patents with its haptic feedback technologies such as 3D Touch and the Taptic Engine on the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus, and Force Touch on the first-generation Apple Watch and various MacBook trackpads.

Tags: 3D Touch, Force Touch, Immersion, Taptic Engine

Top Rated Comments

sw1tcher Avatar
sw1tcher
110 months ago
Where are all the people who thought Immersion were patent trolls and/or had no case?

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/haptic-feedback-company-immersion-files-patent-infringement-lawsuit-against-apple.1955890/

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/immersion-files-second-haptic-feedback-lawsuit-against-apple.1971289/
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
G
Gashole
110 months ago
Haha! You're probably right. I just find it backwards that they push for 3D Touch since its inception, include it in every phone since the 6s, and then pull it from the mainstream iPhone version. From a developer perspective, they're limiting their user base and there is less incentive to develop for 3D Touch.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
maflynn Avatar
maflynn
110 months ago
Looks like Immersion hit the jackpot :eek:

I also wonder if apple will stop or diminish its use of Force touch now
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Read All Comments

Popular Stories

Apple TV Thumb 3

Everything Coming in the 2026 Apple TV 4K

Wednesday July 8, 2026 4:51 pm PDT by
The Apple TV 4K hasn't been updated since 2022, and it's due for a refresh. An update is planned for 2026, but Apple is likely going to wait to launch it after Siri AI launches in iOS 27. Design Apple TV design updates don't happen often, and that's not changing. The next Apple TV is going to have the same squircle shape as the current model, and it'll continue to be made from a black...
Read Full Article • 172 comments
iphone 16 teal

'Siri AI' Lawsuit Update: Apple to Pay Owners of These iPhone Models

Thursday July 9, 2026 7:08 am PDT by
In May, Apple agreed to pay $250 million to settle a U.S. class action lawsuit over Siri AI's delayed launch, and eligible iPhone users could receive up to a $95 payout. This week, the California court overseeing the case held a hearing regarding preliminary approval of the settlement, but the judge has not yet issued a ruling. It will likely be at least a few more months before eligible...
Read Full Article • 114 comments
iCloud iPhone 17 Pro

Apple Says These iOS 27 Features Require $9.99/Month Subscription

Wednesday July 8, 2026 6:24 am PDT by
iOS 27 includes new Apple Intelligence features for compatible cameras in Apple's Home app, but only if you have an iCloud+ plan with at least 2TB of storage. This limitation effectively means that the new features are only available with a minimum $9.99/month subscription, even though the centerpiece of the subscription is the 2TB of storage. The features include AI descriptions for...
Read Full Article