Apple now sending $92 payments to iPhone users affected by ‘batterygate’ throttling

[kac77]

Apple now sending $92 payments to iPhone users affected by ‘batterygate’ throttling

Payouts to iPhone users are finally on their way as part of Apple’s $500 million settlement of the “batterygate” throttling controversy. iPhone users who filed a claim as part of the case will receive a payment of around $92.17 for each claim. This could result in nearly $1,000 worth of total payouts for some people.

 

[Zarathustra[H]]

I thought this was much ado about nothing.

What they did was a reasonable engineering decision. As the battery ages, it can't sustain the same current draw, so they had to limit it, or the device would hard crash when the battery can't provide enough power.

Only thing I'll fault Apple for here was not being more transparent about it. Telling users it was happening and why (and also offering a way for users to replace the battery).

 

[DukenukemX]

What they did was a reasonable engineering decision. As the battery ages, it can't sustain the same current draw, so they had to limit it, or the device would hard crash when the battery can't provide enough power.

You know what else is a reasonable engineering decision? Making it easy to remove the battery from their devices in order to replace it. Sorry backup, what would be a reasonable engineering decision is to not lock devices when an aftermarket battery is installed. Something they'll have to do before the EU makes them their bitch... again.

Only thing I'll fault Apple for here was not being more transparent about it.

That's a very important oversight because the #1 reason why people usually replace their phones is because they get slow, or don't hold a charge. If people knew that Apple was slowing down their devices without telling them to hide the fact that batteries are a wear item, I'm sure they'd think twice before buying a newer iPhone.

Telling users it was happening and why (and also offering a way for users to replace the battery).

Yea, after the fact that they got caught. Also their battery service is $100, which is like 1/3 the value of the phone. You could put in an aftermarket battery, but now you'll never know how much health it has. Not that the health measure is accurate as many people just suddenly can't even turn on their iPhone and charge it up because the battery is so shot that it just shows the Apple logo and boot loops. Which I did recently replace an iPhone 8 battery, only to have it start smoking which I then quickly removed the battery and then threw it outside someplace safe, just in case it explodes. The sticky tab things never seem to make it easy to remove one of these batteries, which then requires me to try and pry it off. If you don't damage the old battery, you'll damage the wireless charging pad.

 

[Zepher]

Sweet, just checked my phone and saw a deposit for $92.17

 

[Brahmzy]

Why TF do iPads not have the full battery stats like the phones?

 

[///AMG]

I didnt know to sign up lol. I bought my family 6 iPhone 7's, and 6 iPhone 6s.

 

[polonyc2]

that's a pretty good payout- $92.17 for each device

 

[Edgar]

Too late to sign up?

 

[polonyc2]

Too late to sign up?

yes...signup period ended in 2020

"If you didn’t file a claim to join the lawsuit now, it’s far too late to do so now. The deadline was back on October 6, 2020. If you had an iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, or iPhone SE, you could have filed a claim for each of those devices"

 

[UnknownSouljer]

that's a pretty good payout- $92.17 for each device

It basically is/was the cost of a battery replacement through Apple. Which is the thing that fixes a degraded battery.

 

[toast0]

You know what else is a reasonable engineering decision? Making it easy to remove the battery from their devices in order to replace it.

I like it when a degraded battery swells enough to undo the glue holding the back of the device on. Dual purpose --- notification and replacement aid. Although, if user swapable batteries come back into fashion, I'd definitely consider a phone that used them.