Are you someone who thinks Apple slows down your iPhone and reduces battery life on purpose? Well, it turns out you weren’t wrong, at least not entirely. As a part of the infamous ‘Batterygate’ lawsuit, Apple will have to pay a staggering $500 million settlement to iPhone users. The lawsuit stemmed from allegations against the tech giant’s software updates.
Customers often observe that new iOS updates do not necessarily improve an older iPhone and instead do the opposite. Some believe that Apple does it on purpose to make people ditch their old phone for the latest (and more expensive) iPhone in the market. Let’s take a look at the Batterygate lawsuit, Apple’s $500 million settlement to iPhone users and how you could claim it.
Why is Apple paying $500 million to iPhone users?
The roots of this massive payout lie in the way Apple handled aging iPhones. In an attempt to prevent these devices from unexpectedly shutting down due to deteriorating batteries, Apple had introduced a performance throttling mechanism.
Apple will soon be paying out between $310 million and $500 million to up to roughly 3 million users whose older iPhones slowed down after software updates https://t.co/TGQzeqcb9p
— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) August 17, 2023
However, the company faced severe backlash for not adequately informing its customers about this practice. This led to accusations that it was a planned move from the tech company. As a result, the company faced legal backlash from iPhone users worldwide.
Slowing down performance without proper user notification sparked outrage and set the stage for a multi-year legal battle. The $500 million settlement is one of the largest all-cash recoveries in a computer intrusion case in history.
Apple’s Batterygate lawsuit marks a significant milestone in the tech industry’s ongoing struggle between consumer rights and corporate responsibility.
Batterygate lawsuit controversy, explained
The problem dates back to 2017 when users noticed that their older iPhones experienced a sense of reduced performance. Apple initially responded that the slowdown was intentionally done to maintain device stability as the batteries aged.
However, the company was not really transparent about this process, which in turn, created a feeling of corporate secrecy. Things went from bad to worse when some iPhone users independently discovered the performance throttling issue.
Later, Apple issued an apology and admitted that iOS updates did slow down older devices with degraded batteries. Between December 2017 and June 2018, a staggering 66 class action lawsuits were filed against Apple for slowing down battery performance.
These lawsuits (now collectively called ‘Batterygate’) alleged that Apple forced users into purchasing new iPhones prematurely. The controversy took a toll on Apple’s reputation as a paragon of quality and innovation.
How to claim your settlement (if eligible)
The settlement covers iPhone 6, 6 Plus, 6S, 6S Plus, 7, 7 Plus, and the first-generation iPhone SE. To be eligible for the settlement, your device must have run specific iOS versions before December 21, 2017.
If you’re an iPhone user who went through the same ordeal, you might be wondering if you’re eligible for the settlement. Sorry to disappoint you but the deadline to submit a claim for the Batterygate settlement passed in October 2020.
Over 3 million individuals filed claims which were approved. They can expect to receive a payment of around $65 each.
You can share questions about Apple’s $500 million settlement for iPhone users in the Batterygate settlement. For more content, stay with us here at Spiel Times. Make sure you subscribe to our push notifications and never miss an update. You can also follow us on Spiel Anime, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. Until next time!
