Apple settles class-action lawsuit over iPhone slowdown allegations

Apple has started compensating individuals involved in a class-action lawsuit in the US over allegations that it intentionally slowed down certain iPhones. The settlement amounts to $500 million, with each claimant receiving around $92.
Although Apple denied any wrongdoing, it agreed to the settlement in 2020 due to the high costs of ongoing litigation. A similar case is currently taking place in the UK, where claimants are seeking £1.6 billion in compensation.

In the US, the case originated in December 2017, when Apple acknowledged slowing down older iPhones as their batteries aged to extend their lifespan. However, it was accused of not informing customers and faced backlash, resulting in a discounted battery replacement offer.
This led to the class-action lawsuit in the US. In contrast to initial estimates, the payout per person is nearly four times higher.

In the UK, Apple’s attempt to block a similar lawsuit was unsuccessful. The UK case, initiated by Justin Gutmann in June 2022, represents approximately 24 million iPhone users and seeks damages not only for iPhone 6 and 7 owners but also for iPhone 8, 8 Plus, and X users.

Apple has consistently labeled the lawsuit as baseless and emphasized that it would never intentionally shorten the life of its products or compromise the user experience to promote customer upgrades.