Apple to Pay Up to $150 to iPhone Owners Affected by Performance Slowdown
Apple has agreed to pay up to $150 to each iPhone owner who was impacted by the intentional performance slowdown of some older models. The tech giant will also pay a total of $14.4 million (CAD) to eligible members of a class-action lawsuit in Canada.
The lawsuit alleged that Apple purposely limited the performance of certain older iPhones. As part of the settlement, affected iPhone owners can expect to receive between $17.50 and $150, depending on the number of claims submitted.
The controversy first arose in late 2017 when it was revealed that Apple was slowing down the performance of older iPhone models. This led to speculation that the company was intentionally pushing users to upgrade to newer models. Apple responded by explaining that the performance slowdown was a result of a power management feature implemented to prevent unexpected shutdowns caused by aged batteries.
While the settlement applies to all Canadian residents, excluding those in Quebec, who owned an iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, or an iPhone SE with iOS 10.2.1 or later, or an iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus with iOS 11.2 or later before December 21, 2017, Apple faced numerous lawsuits from dissatisfied customers. To address the backlash, the company also temporarily reduced the price of battery replacements from $79 to $29.
Although Apple has denied any wrongdoing, the decision to settle was made to avoid further litigation costs. To receive compensation, affected customers will need to fill out and submit a claim form, which will be made available in the coming days.
Analyst comment
Neutral News: Apple will pay up to $150 to iPhone owners affected by performance slowdown and $14.4 million to a class-action lawsuit in Canada. Customers will receive compensation based on the number of claims submitted. The settlement aims to avoid further litigation costs for Apple.
