Apple agrees to pay $113 million to settle “batterygate” lawsuits

Apple attempted to covertly patch up a battery issue on iPhones released between 2014 and 2016 by slowing them down – a move that was quickly discovered and that lead to a class-action lawsuit.

That case was settled earlier this year and Apple agreed to pay affected users $25, the total cost of the settlement can amount to up to $500 million (depending on how many claims were submitted, the minimum payout is $310 million). But that wasn’t the end of Apple’s “batterygate” legal woes.

This Wednesday the company agreed to pay $113 million to settle consumer fraud lawsuits in over 30 states. “Many consumers decided that the only way to get improved performance was to purchase a newer-model iPhone from Apple,” wrote Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich. This increased iPhone sales “potentially by millions of devices per year.”

iPhones 6, 7 and SE were affected (image credit)

The money will be be distributed among the participating states, with $24.6 million going to California, $7.6 million to Texas and $5 million to Arizona. Arizona’s share will be used to pay attorney fees and to fund future investigations relating to consumer protection. Apple also has to create a website that will make it explicitly clear if an iOS update will affect the phone’s battery and performance.

This deal is waiting for a final approval by the judge.

Source: Gsmarena