Apple Initiates Compensation Payouts in Resolution to Batterygate Controversy

In 2020, Apple opted to settle a U.S. class action lawsuit alleging that the company intentionally throttled the performance of certain iPhones. The tech giant agreed to a settlement amounting to nearly 500 million dollars. Recent reports indicate that Apple has commenced compensation disbursements to affected users. Resolution to Batterygate Controversy

Following the controversy dubbed “Batterygate,” Apple vehemently refuted claims that it deliberately diminished the performance of select iPhones to push users towards upgrading to newer models.

The dedicated website for the collective lawsuit against Apple reveals that compensation distributions have kicked off this month, with some claimants reportedly receiving payouts close to 92 dollars.

The legal action stemmed from Apple’s 2017 announcement acknowledging that it had implemented power management features in iOS 10.2.1 to prevent unexpected shutdowns in iPhones with aging batteries. Notably, Apple did not initially disclose this performance throttling in the update release notes.

In response to the ensuing public outcry and criticism over its lack of transparency, Apple issued an apology and temporarily reduced the cost of iPhone battery replacements in 2018. Nevertheless, Apple has consistently refuted any wrongdoing in connection with Batterygate, emphasizing that the settlement was reached to sidestep protracted and expensive legal proceedings.