As part of a legal settlement related to the controversy known as “batterygate,” Apple is disbursing payments to millions of iPhone users whose older devices experienced slowdowns following the implementation of software updates by the tech company.
Attorneys representing Apple customers noted that the payments, which have commenced appearing in consumers’ bank accounts, exceed initial expectations.
This statement outlines key details about the compensation.
Apple iPhone Settlement and Batterygate Overview
Apple has agreed to pay a settlement amount ranging from $310 million to $500 million to resolve the lawsuit concerning battery issues in older iPhones, as reported by Cotchett, Pitre & McCarthy, one of the law firms representing Apple customers.
This equates to $92.17 per claimant, exceeding initial estimates and surpassing 100% of the claimed damages, according to Mark C. Molumphy, a partner at the law firm.
The 2018 lawsuit alleged that Apple intentionally slowed down the overall performance of older iPhones through updates to its iOS mobile platform, purportedly to prevent aging batteries from shutting down during periods of high power demand.
Apple, however, maintained that the performance reduction aimed to extend the devices’ lifespan rather than conceal battery defects, as conveyed to the Verge in 2017.
The settlement does not imply an admission of wrongdoing by Apple, as highlighted on the claim website.
Counting Eligible Recipients for Apple Settlement
Legal documents indicate that approximately 100 million consumers were potentially eligible for compensation under the Apple settlement.
However, only around 3.3 million iPhone users submitted claims before the specified deadline. The settlement applied to users of iPhone 6, 6 Plus, 6s, 6s Plus, as well as SE running iOS 10.2.1 or later, as well as iPhone 7 and 7 Plus users running iOS 11.2 or later, until December 21, 2017, according to information provided on the settlement site.