2023-08-14 17:20:00
Apple is to pay iPhone users up to $500 million after being accused of secretly slowing down the performance of certain models to fix battery and processor issues. A judge dismissed the latest appeal from two iPhone owners who objected to the terms of the settlement, clearing the way for the payouts.
The litigation dates back to 2018, when several class-action lawsuits were filed against Apple, claiming the company perpetrated one of the biggest consumer frauds in history by quietly reducing the processor speed of some iPhones under heavy loads. The idea behind the slowdown was to reduce the negative effects of battery aging, such as random shutdowns, for a range of iPhone models.
It all starts with Apple’s 2017 admission that it slowed down phone performance in older models to avoid unexpected shutdowns related to battery fatigue. But Apple didn’t let customers know what was going on, so they just thought their phones were getting obsolete and bought newer models. They claim that if they had known that all they had to do was buy a battery that Apple was offering at a reduced price ($29) at the time to solve the problem, they would never have spent hundreds of dollars on new phones.
This is how between 2017 and 2018, dozens of class action lawsuits were filed against Apple to finally be consolidated into a single complaint.
In a 2019 court filing, the company argued that lithium-ion batteries become less efficient over time, repeated charging, temperature extremes and general use. Updating the software, Apple claims in the filing, involves trade-offs. Providing more features also introduces complexity and may reduce speed, and increasing features or speed may negatively impact hardware lifespan, the company said.
Apple therefore tried to fix the problem with a software update, but the update only reduced the performance of the device to limit the number of shutdowns, the complaint said. Apple has denied any wrongdoing, but agreed in 2020 to pay between $310 million and $500 million to end the litigation. The exact amount the company will pay, and the exact amount each applicant will receive, will depend on the number of application approvals, and some are still being assessed.
The phones in the case were iPhone 6, 6 Plus, 6s, 6s Plus and SE running iOS 10.2.1 or later before December 21, 2017, and iPhone 7 and 7 Plus running iOS 11.2 or later before that date. According to the complaint, reports of unexplained iPhone shutdowns began appearing in 2015 and increased in the fall of 2016. Consumers were complaining that their phones were shutting down even though the batteries were showing more than 30% charge, the complaint claimed. The complaint alleged that the shutdowns were caused by a mismatch between the phones’ hardware, including batteries and processing chips, and the ever-increasing demands of constantly updated operating systems.
A call from two iPhone owners
Last week, two iPhone owners who opposed the settlement lost their appeals to the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals over its terms, removing the final stumbling block to the deal.
Under the agreement, Apple was to provide the claims administrator with the names and contact information of anyone who owns or leases an eligible iPhone. The claims deadline was Oct. 6, 2020. About 3 million claims have been received and the latest estimate puts compensation at around $65 per claim, said Tyson Redenbarger, an attorney who has represented iPhone customers in this case.
Conclusion
The settlement follows a series of controversies that have damaged Apple’s reputation for privacy and transparency. In 2017, Apple issued a public apology for slowing down older iPhone models without letting users know, and offered a discount on battery replacements. The company has also added a feature in iOS that allows users to check their battery status and disable CPU throttling. In 2018, Apple agreed to pay Italy $5.7 million for misleading consumers about battery performance and life. In 2020, Apple agreed to pay $113 million to the United States to settle a 34-state investigation into the same issue.
Plaintiffs’ attorneys hailed the settlement as a victory for consumers, saying it was the biggest settlement ever in an iPhone slowdown case. They also said the settlement sends a strong message to tech companies about the importance of being honest with their customers. “This settlement is a testament to the power of consumers banding together to hold companies accountable for their actions,” said Steve Berman, an attorney who represented iPhone customers in the case.
iPhone users who are eligible for payment should receive an email or postal mail with instructions for claiming their share of the settlement. Payment is expected to be made in the coming months, after the judge finally approves the settlement and all appeals are exhausted.
Source : dcision de justice
And you ?
What do you think of Apple’s slowdown in iPhone performance?
Have you been affected by this issue with your iPhone?
Do you think the settlement is fair and sufficient to compensate iPhone users?
Do you trust Apple to be transparent about its practices and products?
What steps are you taking to protect the life and performance of your iPhone battery in particular, but your smartphone in general?
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