In a class action lawsuit that has been going on for a long time, Apple has started making settlements in response to allegations that it purposefully slowed down some iPhones in the United States.
A portion of a settlement of $500 million (£394 million) will be distributed to complainants, which amounts to around $92 (£72) for each claim.
Apple stated at the time that it denied any wrongdoing but was concerned with the cost of prolonged litigation, and therefore decided to settle the claim in the year 2020.
A lawsuit that is quite similar to this one is currently being heard in the United Kingdom, and it is seeking compensation in the amount of £1.6 billion.
The issue in the United States dates back to December 2017, when Apple admitted that it had purposefully slowed down some iPhones as they got older, so confirming a long-held belief among phone owners.
In the article, it was stated that when batteries aged, their performance reduced, and as a result, the "slowdown" increased the lifespan of the phones.
But it was accused of restricting the performance of specific iPhones without informing its users, and as a result of the outrage, Apple offered a battery replacement at a reduced price in order to remedy the issue.
It resulted in legal action being taken by the United States. At the time of the settlement, it was projected that each individual may receive as low as $25 each; however, it appears that the real pay-out is approximately four times that amount.
In November of last year, Apple was unsuccessful in its attempt to prevent a mass action case of a similar nature from being filed in the United Kingdom.
An estimated 24 million iPhone users are represented by this case, which was initially brought up by Justin Gutmann in June of 2022.
In a prior statement, Apple referred to the complaint as "baseless" and stated, "We have never - and would never - do anything to purposefully shorten the life of any Apple device, or impair the user experience in order to force consumer upgrades."
Mr. Gutmann expressed his satisfaction to the sources that payments were being made in the United States, but he cautioned that this did not have any bearing on the situation in the United Kingdom.
According to what he said, "It does not enhance our case here, they have not conceded anything - they have settled."
It is a triumph for morality, but it is not of much use to me. I won't give up and will continue to pursue the lawsuit in the jurisdiction of the United Kingdom.
Apple is "fighting tooth and nail" against the UK class action, which will next appear before the Court of Appeal, which will examine a petition from the company to halt the case. He stated that Apple was "fighting tooth and nail" against the class action.
He stated that it was tough to set a date on what would happen next, but he holds out hope that it will go to trial in the latter half of 2024 or the early part of 2025.
