Users that suffered from slowdowns after updating the operating software on their old iPhones may finally be getting a little compensation for their woes. According to SiliconValley.com, a judge’s ruling has cleared the way for payments to finally go out in a class action lawsuit that was brought against Apple in 2020.
Apple admitted no fault in the suit, which alleges that the tech giant intentionally slowed down the performance of older iPhone models with an iOS update. Still, the company agreed to settle for an amount somewhere between $310 million and $500 million.
And while the exact amount of claimants is unknown, a lawyer who represented those affected says they number around 3 million. The current payout per claimant is estimated to be about $65, but the exact amount will depend on how many of those claims are finally approved.
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If you didn’t file an initial claim, you’re unfortunately out of luck: The window for submission closed back in October 2020. Those eligible to file a claim included owners of an iPhone 6, 6 Plus, 6s, 6s Plus or SE running iOS version 10.2.1 or later. Users of iPhone 7 or 7 Plus were eligible if they updated their phones to iOS 11.2 or later versions. All claimants must have been using these iOS versions on the phones listed prior to Dec. 21, 2017.
Apple had agreed to a payout back in 2020, but the case was held up by two claimants who disagreed with the terms. Their loss in the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals means that the payments can now go forward.
Apple did not provide comment to SiliconValley.com or other news outlets on the conclusion of the case, but its filings from 2019 argued that the slowdowns were done to protect system hardware as older lithium-ion batteries degraded.
Customers, however, were never informed that their devices would be slowed. Back in 2018, Apple did address customer complaints (which eventually led to the class action suit) by temporarily lowering the price of battery replacements.
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About the Author
Tod Caviness has been writing professionally for nearly 20 years, most of them as a features reporter and staff writer at the Orlando Sentinel covering nightlife and culture. He's been just as active in Orlando's literary scene as host of the long-running reading series Speakeasy and Loose Lips. He is incapable of keeping plants or grudges alive. More.
