Apple has been embroiled in multiple legal cases over iPhone 7 issues in the US and the latest one warrants a hefty penalty.
The clock is ticking as the deadline to claim a portion of Apple’s $35 million class-action lawsuit is nearing. Those who own or have owned the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus will be eligible to receive a settlement amount from the company as a part of the lawsuit. For potential complainants, the window to file for their due compensation will close on June 3, so users who have encountered issues with their devices must take action before the deadline.
This US class-action lawsuit comes in the wake of several complaints that iPhone 7 users made in 2019. The company was sued across US states over the ‘loop disease’ audio issue, claiming that Apple had breached warranties and violated customer protection laws.
While the California-based tech company denied all the allegations of wrongdoing, it did agree to a settlement. The court did not rule against Apple or in favour of the plaintiffs; instead, the parties agreed to a $35 million settlement with the following criteria:
“Individual persons who are United States residents and who own or owned an Apple iPhone 7 or 7 Plus between September 16, 2016 and January 3, 2023, and reported to Apple in the United States issues reflected in Apple’s records as Sound-Speaker, Sound-Microphone, Sound – Receiver, Unexpected Restart / Shutdown, or Power On – Device Unresponsive (“Covered Issues”), including but not limited to those who paid Apple out of pocket for repairs or replacements for Covered Issues as reflected in Apple’s records.”
Accordingly, consumers who owned the specified iPhone models at any time between September 16, 2016, and January 3, 2023, are eligible to receive compensation. Those who have registered a complaint with the company about the audio issues and even paid Apple for repairs or replacement will qualify for a payout of up to $349. However, those who reported issues to Apple but did not pay for repairs or replacements could get up to $125.