Individuals who own certain models of iPhones and were involved in legal actions against Apple due to the issue of phone slowdowns might finally receive their compensation. Recently, a judge rejected objections raised against the settlement offer, bringing these affected iPhone owners one step closer to getting their payments.
Back in May 2020, a proposed agreement was put forth to resolve a series of lawsuits known as the “iPhone slowdown controversy.” These lawsuits were brought about by users who claimed that Apple’s iPhones were intentionally slowed down through a software feature. This feature was designed to reduce strain on the phone’s processor during times of high usage, aiming to prevent problems like sudden shutdowns. After preliminary approval by the courts, this settlement is now on the brink of being distributed to those customers who were impacted by the issue.
However, two iPhone users who were part of this group raised objections against the terms of the settlement. They escalated their concerns to the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Despite their efforts, the court decided against their appeal. As a result, the path has been cleared for the distribution of the settlement payments to begin.
Overview of the iPhone Performance Management Settlement
The essence of the settlement revolves around a software component introduced by Apple in its iOS operating system. This component was intended to manage the performance of certain iPhone models when they experienced heavy workloads. By doing so, Apple aimed to address the problems that arise as iPhone batteries age over time, which includes issues like unexpected shutdowns. The settlement seeks to offer compensation to those who were impacted by this software feature.
The situation revolved around a series of iPhone models, spanning from the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, extending all the way to the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus. Notably, the iPhone SE that operated on iOS 10.2.1 or later was also encompassed in this matter, specifically up until December 21, 2017. Beyond that date, the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus devices running iOS 11.2 or later became implicated as well.
The legal landscape was a tapestry of multiple class action lawsuits that eventually converged into a unified settlement. This amalgamation drew in a considerable number of claimants, tallying up to approximately 3 million individuals. These individuals were granted the opportunity to participate in the settlement, and a strict deadline for submission of claims was set, ending on October 6, 2020.
Apple Faces Legal Challenge Over Battery Issues
Central to this resolution, Apple found itself committed to a financial undertaking ranging between $310 million and $500 million. The precise quantum of this disbursement hinged on the eventual count of valid claims, a metric that would only become clear after the meticulous processing of all submitted applications. As a general approximation, it’s projected that each claimant will potentially receive an average of around $65 as reparations for their experiences.
Apple asked a London court to stop a large lawsuit against them. The lawsuit claims that Apple hid problems with iPhone batteries by using software updates to slow down the phones. The lawsuit is worth a lot of money and was brought by Justin Gutmann, who is representing iPhone users in the UK.
Gutmann’s lawyers said that Apple kept the battery problems a secret and secretly added a tool to control the phone’s power and make it slower. Apple has stated in its written statements that the lawsuit lacks merit and vehemently refutes the claim that its iPhones had faulty batteries, except for a limited batch of iPhone 6s units that were eligible for free battery replacements.
Furthermore, Apple has clarified that its power management update, which was introduced in 2017 to handle issues with older batteries or those with low charge levels, resulted in an average performance reduction of only 10% for iPhone 6 devices.
