After Years of Waiting, iPhone Users Finally Receive Payouts for Batterygate ($92 per claim)

Have you checked your bank account recently and found an unexpected deposit from “ORIG CO NAME: IN RE APPLE INC”? If so, you’re one of the lucky iPhone users finally receiving your settlement payout as part of the infamous “batterygate” controversy that rocked Apple back in 2017.

For those who need a refresher, batterygate refers to Apple’s admission that it deliberately slowed down older iPhone models to prevent unexpected shut downs as their batteries deteriorated. Apple rolled this out quietly as part of an iOS update in early 2017, leading to consumer outrage when the truth came out later that year. Many felt it was a ploy by Apple to push people to upgrade their phones.

In response to the backlash, Apple issued a formal apology and reduced the price for out-of-warranty iPhone battery replacements from $79 to $29 for a limited time. Additionally, they provided users the option to turn off the performance throttling feature. However, for some customers, the damage was already done.

Several class action lawsuits were filed against Apple, eventually leading to a $500 million settlement in March 2020. Of that amount, $310 million went into a fund to provide payouts directly to iPhone users. The settlement allowed claims for $25 per affected iPhone model owned. With over 12 million claims submitted, that resulted in payouts now arriving at around $92 per claim.

So if you owned an iPhone 6, 6 Plus, 6s, 6s Plus, 7, 7 Plus or SE and filed a claim before the October 2020 deadline, check your bank account! The first wave of settlement payouts, about $92 each, are arriving as “ORIG CO NAME: IN RE APPLE INC” credits. Some iPhone users are reporting multiple credits adding up to nearly $1,000.

While Apple continues to deny any wrongdoing, clearly they wanted to make things right with customers affected by the performance throttling debacle. Do you think the settlement payouts are fair compensation, or were customers owed even more for Apple’s lack of transparency? How has your perception of Apple changed in the aftermath of batterygate? Let us know on X @Gizmoweek!