Apple Can’t Escape Haptic Patent Suit Over Back Tap Feature

Apple Inc. must face claims it infringed Haptic Inc.'s patented technology when developing an iPhone shortcut feature allowing users to tap the back of their phone to perform functions, a California judge ruled.

US District Judge Jacqueline Scott Corley rejected Apple’s argument that Haptic’s allegations don’t show how its back tap feature incorporates methods of US Patent No. 9,996,738, according to an order filed Monday in the US District Court for the Northern District of California. The judge said Haptic also provided facts for its allegations that Apple knew about its protected technology nearly four years before launching the ...