Apple finally compensates iPhone users over slow devices

Apple initiates payments in an enduring collective legal dispute concerning allegations that it intentionally reduced the speed of particular iPhones in the U.S.

Claimants of the Apple battery lawsuit are set to obtain a portion of a $500 million resolution equating to approximately $92 per claim. 

In 2020, Apple consented to resolve the lawsuit, asserting its lack of misconduct while expressing concerns about the escalating expenses linked with prolonged legal proceedings. 

A parallel lawsuit unfolding in the U.K. seeks $2 billion in damages. 

The genesis of the U.S. case traces back to December 2017 when Apple affirmed longstanding suspicions among iPhone users by acknowledging the deliberate slowing down of certain iPhones as they age.

Their rationale cited the decreased performance of aging batteries, with the ‘slowdown’ purportedly elongating the longevity of the device. 

However, Apple faced allegations of deliberately curbing the performance of specific iPhones without informing its consumers, leading to widespread outcry and the company offering discounted battery replacements as a remedy. 

This sequence of events triggered the legal action in the U.S. Initially anticipated to yield as little as $25 per person, the actual payout now appears to be nearly four times that amount. 

Source: Newsroom