Apple may soon be compensating customers amid a $500 million lawsuit known as “Batterygate,” which accuses the tech giant of deliberately hindering phones’ performance to persuade customers to purchase a new iPhone.
In the lawsuit, which originated in 2018, Apple admitted to diminishing phones performances for the older iPhones at the time. In March 2020, the company agreed to pay $500 million to resolve the issue.
Despite this, Apple has maintained no wrongdoing in the lawsuit. The tech giant blamed the malfunctioning on the older phones as solely a software update gone wrong. The company said that to prevent slow performance, users could purchase a new battery.
From December 2017-June2018, Apple was involved in a series of class action lawsuits, totaling 66. The lawsuits all stemmed from the accusation that the company was purposely slowing down phones.
For those who filed a claim against Apple, they are expected to receive a $65 payment from the company. Compensation will differ based on the number of claims submitted, according to One America News. Only individuals who filed a claim after Oct. 6, 2020, will receive money in return.
Only customers with an iPhone 6, 6 Plus, 6s Plus, or SE device are eligible to receive the money if they ran the iOS 10.2.1 software before Dec. 21. 2017. Individuals with an iPhone 7, or 7 Plus that ran Ios 11.2 or later before Dec. 21, 2027, will also be compensated. It is estimated that approximately 2.2. million claimants will be compensated, as reported by Forbes.
#Apple is set to shell out up to $500 million in a class-action lawsuit settlement, and iPhone 6, 7, and SE model owners will be eligible for compensation. https://t.co/yV45XHRz71
— The Epoch Times (@EpochTimes) August 17, 2023
The lawsuit filed in 2018 claimed that iPhones were shutting down randomly, despite having a battery life of 30%. At the time, it was argued that the reason for the unexpected shutting down of the phones was an increase in demands for software updates and that the hardware in the phones was leading to shutdowns.
Cotchett, Pitre & McCarthy, LLP, the firm that represented iPhone claimants, said in a press release that the Ninth Circuit ruled against Apple’s motion to dismiss the case, thereby forcing the company to compensate its customers.
“The settlement is the result of years of investigation and hotly contested litigation,” Mark C. Molumphy, a partner at Cotchett, Pitre & McCarthy, LLP, said in a press release.
“We are extremely proud that this deal has been approved, and following the Ninth Circuit’s order, we can finally provide immediate cash payments to impacted Apple customers,” he continued.
