Apple Batterygate Case: Tech Giant Begins Sending ‘Batterygate’ Settlement Payments to iPhone Users, Agrees To Pay Up to USD 500 Million in Total

New Delhi, January 8: Apple has recently initiated the process of compensating iPhone users in the United States as part of the "Batterygate" settlement. This development follows a lawsuit that Apple agreed to settle for up to USD 500 million, marking a significant moment for consumers who felt misled by the tech giant's previous actions. The "Batterygate" issue began in 2017, leading many iPhone users to believe their devices were nearing the end of their life and required replacement or new batteries.

As per a report of NDTV, some individuals have already noticed payments of USD 92.17 (approximately Rs 7,600) being deposited into their accounts. The issue, which gained notice as "Batterygate," started when a developer uncovered that updates to iOS 10 caused older iPhones, such as the iPhone 6S and iPhone 7, to experience slowdown and performance. PM Narendra Modi Lakshadweep Island Visit: Google Searches for Beach Destination Lakshadweep Skyrocket After Prime Minister Modi's Tour.

This led customers to believe that their phones were almost no longer for use, which caused them to consider purchasing new phones or installing new batteries. Apple, however, had not initially disclosed that the slowdown was a deliberate measure to prevent phones from unexpectedly switching off when the battery reached a certain threshold.

Multiple lawsuits were filed, claiming that the company's actions resulted in consumers opting to upgrade their mobile devices earlier instead of simply replacing the batteries. In response, Apple issued an apology in 2018 for not being transparent about the reasons behind the performance and subsequently reduced the price of iPhone battery replacements to USD 29. YouTube TV Hits Estimated ‘6.5 Million Subscribers’ in Q3 2023, Remains Fastest Growing and Largest Service Than Competition: Report.

In 2020, Apple settled a nationwide lawsuit aiming to avoid the expenses and complexity of court proceedings. This settlement was applicable to US customers who owned an iPhone 6, 6s, 6s Plus, 7, 7Plus and SE model, provided it was operating on iOS 10.2.1 or a later version. Additionally, it included iPhone 7 and 7 Plus models that were running on iOS 11.2 or above before December 21, 2017. The final date for these users to file a claim for compensation was in October 2020.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 08, 2024 02:41 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).