Apple Agrees to Up to $500 Million Settlement Over iPhone Slowdown Controversy

In a significant development marking the resolution of a long-standing legal battle, tech behemoth Apple has conceded to pay a settlement amounting to hundreds of millions of dollars, addressing allegations of intentionally slowing down older iPhones through software updates.

The legal manoeuvrings span years and culminated in an announcement by Cotchett, Pitre & McCarty, one of the firms representing aggrieved Apple customers. On August 9, the 9th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals dismissed two appeals lodged against the settlement, signalling a definitive conclusion to the case. Apple has committed to disburse a minimum of $310 million, potentially reaching up to $500 million, as compensation for nearly 100 million iPhone users. This momentous settlement is touted as the “largest all-cash recovery in a computer intrusion case in history.”

The genesis of this predicament dates back to December 2017, stretching until June 2018, when a flurry of 66 class-action lawsuits was lodged against Apple. Central to these legal battles was the contention that the technology giant deliberately decelerated battery performance in older iPhones through iOS updates. Bloomberg Law underscored the breadth and depth of the accusations.

In 2017, Apple publicly expressed remorse for the situation and tendered an apology to its customers. The tech giant also extended an offer to reduce the cost of replacement batteries as a form of redress. The company’s correspondence highlighted the possibility of some users experiencing diminished app launch times and overall performance due to a software update in 2016.

Compensation from the settlement will be channelled to individuals who submitted their claims before the October 2020 deadline and owned the following iPhone models:

iPhone 6, 6 Plus, 6S Plus, and/or SE devices that operated iOS 10.2.1 or later before December 21, 2017
iPhone 7 or 7 Plus devices that ran iOS 11.2 or later before December 21, 2017
Approximately 3 million individuals have been granted approval for their claims, with anticipated payments averaging around $65, reported Verge.

As the curtain falls on this intricate legal saga, Apple’s willingness to reconcile and address customer grievances through this groundbreaking settlement stands as a testament to the ever-evolving dynamics between technology giants and their global user base. For a more comprehensive understanding of the settlement’s intricacies, interested parties can visit the dedicated settlement website.