Apple Settles Batterygate Lawsuit: Up to $90 Compensation for iPhone Users

Numerous iPhone users who experienced decreased performance on their older devices after software updates may soon be entitled to compensation, potentially receiving up to $90 per individual.

Apple is poised to disburse an amount ranging from $310 million to $500 million to approximately 3 million users of iPhones manufactured before 2018, as stated by attorneys representing Apple customers. These payments are intended for users who lodged claims against the technology giant in 2020, addressing a concern dubbed "batterygate."

Mark C. Molumphy, a partner at Cotchett, Pitre & McCarthy, one of the law firms handling the lawsuit on behalf of Apple customers, commented, "[W]e can finally provide immediate cash payments to impacted Apple customers."

This settlement follows a court's rejection of Apple's appeal to challenge a class-action lawsuit initiated against the company in 2017. This decision paved the way for those "consumers impacted by software throttling" to receive settlement funds, as stated by the plaintiffs' legal representatives.

The term "software throttling" pertains to the software updates issued by Apple for its earlier iPhone models with batteries of limited capacity that degraded over time. These updates intentionally slowed down the overall performance of iPhones when a worn-out battery was detected, preventing complete shutdowns during periods of high energy demand.

Upon user complaints, Apple opted to provide battery replacements at a reduced cost, but at the time, iPhone users were unaware that the software updates intentionally slowed their devices' performance.

Apple explained that the reason behind this performance reduction was not to mislead customers into unnecessary upgrades, but rather to extend the longevity of the devices. The iPhones would return to their regular speeds once the deteriorated battery was replaced.

It's important to note that the settlement does not constitute an acknowledgment of wrongdoing by Apple.

Here are the key points to know about the settlement:

1. Compensation Amount: Users who submitted claims can anticipate receiving around $65 from Apple, according to attorney Mark C. Molumphy. The amount could potentially be higher, ranging from $85 to $90, contingent on the total number of claims submitted. Fewer claims would result in larger payouts per individual claimant.

2. Eligibility Criteria: Owners of iPhone 6, 6 Plus, 6S, 6S Plus, and SE models running iOS 10.2.1 or later, as well as iPhone 7 and 7 Plus running iOS 11.2 or later before December 21, 2017, may qualify for payments. However, only affected users who filed claims before the October 6, 2020 deadline are eligible to receive compensation.

3. Disbursement Timing: The exact timing of when eligible users will receive their settlement payments remains unclear. Neither Apple nor the lawyers for Apple customers have promptly responded to inquiries regarding this matter.

4. Time Taken for Resolution: In general, most class-action cases take between two and three years to reach a resolution. Some may extend beyond this timeframe, especially if there are appeals following a court ruling, as noted by the class-action consumer resource, ClassAction.org.