How to Submit a Claim in Apple’s $500 Million Battery Slowdown Class Action Settlement

A black iPhone charging on a desk
Andreas Haslinger

Have you ever theorized that Apple forces iPhones to deteriorate over time, thus making people buy new phones more frequently? It sounds a little crazy, but it turns out you may have been right. In March, Apple agreed to pay up to $500 million to settle a class-action suit accusing the company of throttling batteries and manufacturing obsolescence.

As a result, some iPhone owners are eligible for compensation. Apple denies any wrongdoing, but will still be paying out affected iPhone owners. Here’s everything you need to know about who qualifies, what you can get, and how to file a claim.

Apple’s $500 Million Settlement

This class action settlement is years in the making, as reporting on iPhone battery slowdowns dates back to 2015. Many users of iPhones 6 and 7 noticed that their phone was stalling or shutting down entirely after downloading new iOS updates. Apple denied intentionally throttling batteries, but the uproar was enough to force the tech giant to settle.

The terms of the settlement are very specific and a bit complicated. To qualify as a class member, you need to meet the following guidelines:

  • Own or have owned an iPhone 6, 6 Plus, 6s, 6s Plus, 7, 7 Plus, or SE
  • For iPhone 6 owners: ran iOS 10.2.1 or later before December 21, 2017
  • For iPhone 7 and SE owners: ran iOS 11.2 or later before December 21, 2017
  • Experienced diminished or slowed performance on your phone

To file a claim, you can follow this link to the official webpage. If you still own the iPhone that suffered the slowdowns, you can input the serial number while filing your claim. If not, you can input your Apple ID, name, and address to locate your phone records. Should you qualify for the settlement, you can get an award of up to $25 per device.

The deadline to file a claim is October 6, 2020, so be sure to submit yours by then!

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