Apple Begins Compensation Payouts to iPhone Users in ‘Batterygate’ Settlement
iPhone users impacted by Apple’s ‘batterygate’ debacle, who filed claims seeking compensation, are now receiving their settlement payments from the tech giant. Apple, led by Tim Cook committed to paying up to $500 million to settle a lawsuit related to the controversy. According to MacRumours, the first to break the news, Apple is disbursing $92.17 per claim, and the payments align with the timeline outlined in the Settlement Agreement, scheduled for ‘sometime in January 2024.’
What is Apple’s ‘batterygate’? The lawsuit, initiated in December 2017, followed Apple’s admission that it had been ‘throttling’ the maximum performance of certain older iPhone models with ‘chemically-aged’ batteries. This measure aimed to prevent the devices from ‘unexpectedly shutting down.’ The power management system was introduced in iOS 10.2.1, with Apple failing to disclose the change in the update’s release notes. Despite apologizing for the ‘lack of transparency,’ Apple did not acknowledge legal wrongdoing throughout the case. The company justified its agreement to the March 2020 settlement as a means to ‘avoid burdensome and costly litigation.’
Affected iPhone Models The settlement applies exclusively to US-based owners of the following iPhone models: 6, 6 Plus, 6s, 6s Plus running iOS 10.2.1 or later, or those running iOS 11.2 (7, 7 Plus).