Credits: Social Media
Apple starts to pay $500 million lawsuit to iPhone users whose devices slowed down
Apple has started to pay customers in the United States following a class action lawsuit over the claim that they deliberately slowed down iPhones.�
As technology gets older, its only natural that it begins to slow down and degrade in performance. But in 2017, Apple users were shocked to learn that the tech giant was purposefully slowing down devices. While many customers believed that this was to encourage upgrades, Apple stated that it was to prolong the life of the device.
iPhone users wake to payments
Following the lawsuit in 2020, which was brought to the courts by 3 million angry users, Apple agreed to pay out a hefty $500 million. While it was initially suggested that users would receive just $25 per device, the actual amount was $92 for phones in the iPhone 6 and 7 ranges.
Over the last few days, iPhone users have flocked to social media after waking up to find that theyd been paid by the California-based communications company.
On X, formally known as Twitter, one person wrote: Nice thing to wake up to on a Saturday morning especially after 3.5 years of waiting!
I didnt notice it went to an old bank account I dont use, another person confessed, as a third added, Got mine in today! Lets go!
A similar lawsuit totalling �1.6 billion is also underway in the UK after being brought forward by Justin Gutmann in June 2022. As reported by the BBC, the case is also seeking money for customers who owned the iPhone 8, 8 Plus and X devices.
Why did Apple slow down iPhones?
Apple stated that iPhones were being slowed down to prolong the life of the device.�Following a massive customer uproar, Apple issued a statement explaining why devices were slowing down. Despite popular belief, it was not to encourage upgrades and rinse customers of even more money.�
“Our goal is to deliver the best experience for customers, which includes overall performance and prolonging the life of their devices, they said at the time. “Lithium-ion batteries become less capable of supplying peak current demands when in cold conditions, have a low battery charge or as they age over time, which can result in the device unexpectedly shutting down to protect its electronic components.
They continued: “Last year we released a feature for iPhone 6, iPhone 6s and iPhone SE to smooth out the instantaneous peaks only when needed to prevent the device from unexpectedly shutting down during these conditions.
“Weve now extended that feature to iPhone 7 with iOS 11.2, and plan to add support for other products in the future.”
