- Around three million iPhone users sued Apple for allegedly slowing down their devices
- Apple agreed to a settlement but denied any wrongdoing
- READ MORE: Tech Experts Claim Performance Throttling Reduces Battery Life
Apple has begun paying $500 million in compensation to iPhone users in the US who accused the tech giant of intentionally slowing down devices.
The so-called “Batterygate” scandal in 2017 was described as “one of the largest consumer fraud cases in history” and forced users to invest in new iPhone models.
Now three million owners of certain iPhone models who have filed complaints will receive around $92 for each affected model.
Apple agreed in 2020 to settle a class action lawsuit filed in 2017 that accused the company of intentionally slowing down phones over time – but Apple has not admitted any wrongdoing.
The so-called “Batterygate” scandal in 2017 was described as “one of the largest consumer fraud cases in history” and forced users to invest in new iPhone models
Payouts apply to iPhone 6, 6 Plus, 6s, 6s Plus and SE owners if they were running iOS 10.2.1 or later and iPhone 7 or 7 Plus running iOS 11.2 before December 21, 2017.
Those eligible are expected to receive their payout later this month, and some have already reported receiving a refund.
Anyone hoping for the payout would have had to submit a complaint by October 6, 2020.
The 2018 California class action lawsuit said reports of unexplained iPhone shutdowns first surfaced in 2015 before peaking in the fall of the following year.
Users' concerns centered on the fact that their phones were turning off despite having more than 30 percent battery charge.
At the time, Apple said in a statement: “We have never and would never do anything to intentionally shorten the life of an Apple product or degrade the user experience in order to drive customer upgrades.”
Apple blamed the problem on batteries, claiming that devices' performance degrades as they age.
While Apple's statements are factual, the company failed to disclose the comments before users noticed slower performance.
Many iPhone users see the funds flowing into their bank accounts. Michael Burkhardt shared an image on X showing that he received six payments totaling $92.17
Many iPhone users see the funds flowing into their bank accounts.
Michael Burkhardt shared an image on X showing that he received six payments totaling $92.17.
Apple admitted in 2017 that it intentionally “smoothes” the performance of its smartphones when the battery gets too old.
A consumer watchdog that rates the performance of electronic devices sparked an outcry after finding that older models' processing power is limited once battery life runs out.
Many claimed it was an attempt to force users to upgrade to the latest model.
Apple's “Batterygate” wasn't just in the US – the company has also agreed to pay settlements in Canada and the UK for the same claims.