Apple's $500 Million Settlement in iPhone 'Batterygate' Lawsuit:
A Comprehensive Look at the $500 Million Lawsuit, Affected iPhone Models, and Apple's Commitment to Transparency and Innovation
At his best, man is the noblest of all animals; separated from law and justice he is the worst.
Apple's infamous 'batterygate' scandal has reached a significant milestone with the company agreeing to pay $500 million in a class-action lawsuit. This settlement could result in some iPhone owners receiving $65 from the tech giant.
'Batterygate' emerged in 2017 when owners of older iPhones accused Apple of deliberately throttling down their phones' CPUs. This was a result of a software update initially meant to extend battery life but instead reduced processing performances. Apple's admission and subsequent apology, coupled with a price reduction for iPhone battery replacements, did little to quell the outrage.
Apple agreed to pay the estimated $500 million lawsuit back in 2020, but a judge has only recently cleared the way for payments. Two iPhone owners who objected to the settlement lost their appeal, resulting in Apple agreeing to pay $310 million out of the $500 million. The exact compensation amount is contingent on the number of claim approvals, with 3 million claims received so far, putting the payout at about $65 per user.
The models affected by Apple's throttling included the iPhone 6, 6 Plus, 6s, 6s Plus, and SE running iOS 10.2.1 or later before December 21, 2017, along with the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus running iOS 11.2 or later. These iPhones reported performance drops after installing the software update meant to extend battery life.
Since 'batterygate,' iPhones have been able to manage their Battery Health and provide optimized battery charging. The battery life on iPhones has historically improved with each new generation, and the current Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max is a testament to this progress. The upcoming iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max also look promising, leveraging advanced technology.
Apple certainly learned the hard way with 'batterygate.' The payout to affected iPhone users will not have any meaningful impact on a company worth over $2.8 trillion, but it serves as a reminder of the importance of transparency and customer trust. As technology advances, Apple continues to innovate, ensuring that such mistakes remain a thing of the past.
Despite the lessons learned from the 'batterygate' incident, Apple's planned payout to affected iPhone users will barely make a dent in the finances of a company valued at over $2.8 trillion.
Disclaimer: Some information on this site may be considered attorney advertising under your state’s laws and ethical rules. This legal news site and its content are for general information and not legal advice. Information on this site may be incomplete or out-of-date.
No attorney-client relationship is created between you and any attorney who publishes content or online forms on this site. Hiring a lawyer is an important decision that should not be based solely on advertisements.