If you owned an iPhone that took a performance hit after a controversial iOS update, Apple might owe you $25. The payments follow Apple’s settlement of a class-action lawsuit over “Batterygate.”
However, to get your check, your claim must be received by October 6, 2020. Find out how to apply for a Batterygate payment, and exactly what you need to qualify, below.
Apple pays millions in Batterygate settlement
Apple found itself in hot water after adding a feature in iOS 10.1.2 that slowed down older iPhones with failing batteries. Throttling the CPUs of affected phones meant fewer crashes. However, Apple’s lack of transparency about the well-meaning update caused an uproar. France and Italy fined the company millions for the throttling.
Apple offered cheap replacement batteries to calm down angry consumers. It also laid out the science behind the throttling, and eventually added a Battery Health feature to iOS. Ultimately, Cupertino agreed to pay up to $500 million to settle the lawsuit.
According to MacRumors, “Apple has denied all allegations and is entering into this settlement to ‘avoid burdensome and costly litigation.’ The settlement is not an admission of wrongdoing by Apple, according to the U.S. District Court for Northern California.”
What iPhones qualify for payments?
The Batterygate claims page lays out the exact iPhone models covered by the lawsuit:
“If you are or were a U.S. owner of an iPhone 6, 6 Plus, 6s, 6s Plus, and/or SE device that ran iOS 10.2.1 or later before December 21, 2017, and/or a U.S. owner of an iPhone 7 or 7 Plus device that ran iOS 11.2 or later before December 21, 2017, you could be entitled to benefits under a class action settlement.”
If you own, or owned, one of those iPhone models and “experienced diminished performance,” you can submit an online claim. Alternatively, you can print out a PDF and mail in the form.
Got your iPhone serial number?
The Batterygate payment forms ask for the serial number of the affected device as well as your Apple ID and contact info. (Note: If you no longer own the device, and can’t remember the serial number, the webpage offers a search tool that might help you track it down.)
You can only get one $25 payment per device. However, if you owned multiple affected devices, you can submit multiple applications.
Also, if you want to exclude yourself from the settlement, or object to its terms, you can do that from the claims page as well.
Via: MacRumors
