Apple "Batterygate" Consumers can Submit Class-Action Claim

Remember when Apple intentionally slowed down older iPhones to reduce the power draw from overtaxed batteries? It’s time to pay the piper (or a giant class-action suit).

In early 2018, Apple admitted to slipping a tiny little whopper of a change into a recent iOS update – the download added a “power management” feature to the iPhone 6, 6 Plus, 6S, 6S Plus and SF, while iOS 11.2 covered the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus.

And it did exactly what you think it did – it slowed down older batteries, allegedly to extend their lifetime. The problem is that Apple added this new feature to the iOS update with no fanfare whatsoever. You’d be forgiven for thinking they intentionally tried to slip it past us.

"When we did put it [the software update] out, we did say what it was, but I don't think a lot of people were paying attention," said Apple CEO, Tim Cook.

Apple initiated a $29 replacement battery program, with overwhelming interest from consumers, but that didn’t stop the class-action lawsuits, one of which the Cupertino giant just settled for $500 million.

According to the website that was set up for affected customers to claim their $25 share of the pie, “If you are or were a U.S. owner of an iPhone 6, 6 Plus, 6s, 6s Plus, and/or SE device that ran iOS 10.2.1 or later before December 21, 2017, and/or a U.S. owner of an iPhone 7 or 7 Plus device that ran iOS 11.2 or later before December 21, 2017,” you’re eligible.