Apple settlement payments going to some iPhone users

Zach Myers
·2 min read

(WTTV/WXIN) – iPhone users who signed on to a massive lawsuit against Apple are finally getting paid.

The payments are part of the infamous “batterygate” suit, where the tech giant was accused of intentionally slowing down older smartphones.

It’s been nearly six years since Apple was accused of  “one of the largest consumer frauds in history.” Users complained the company intentionally slowed down older iPhones as a way to increase sales of newer models.

The slowdown affected several models of the iPhone 6 and 7, as well as the iPhone SE through December 2017. Users started noticing their iPhones slowing down and experiencing diminished performance, which eventually led to accusations of intentionally throttling the older devices.

For its part, Apple admitted to slowing down the devices. However, the company claimed it was an effort to prolong battery life. Still, the tech giant agreed to a massive settlement of roughly $500 million. Now those payouts are finally going out.

Anyone who had one of those phones and signed onto the lawsuit before 2020 can expect a payment of $92 if they haven’t received it already.

If you missed this settlement, and you’re a longtime Apple user, you still have time to sign on to another lawsuit involving Apple’s “Family Sharing” feature. That lawsuit claimed Apple falsely represented how Family Sharing can work, especially when it comes to sharing subscriptions to apps. The suit claims that several subscription-based apps didn’t support that feature, even though Apple advertised that they did.

If you used the Family Sharing feature to share at least one subscription with at least one other person from June 2015 to January 2019, you could file a claim as part of this class action lawsuit.  The payout for individual consumers is expected to be between $30 and $50.

You can find instructions on how to sign on to the lawsuit on its website, and also file a payment election form. The deadline to sign on is coming up on March 1.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WTTV CBS4Indy.