Apple Begins Paying "Battery Gate" Settlement in Canada - What You Need to Know

Apple Begins Paying "Battery Gate" Settlement in Canada - What You Need to Know

The controversial Canadian class action lawsuit in the Apple "Batterygate" case has finally been settled, with Cupertino agreeing to pay C$14.4 million to Canadian iPhone users.

As part of the settlement approved by a Canadian court on Monday, eligible iPhone users will receive between C$17.50 and C$150 from Apple.

Canadians who owned or purchased an iPhone 6 series running or downloading iOS 10.2.1 or an iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus running or downloading iOS 11.2 on or before December 21, 2017 are eligible for payments under the settlement

Currently.

The exact payment date is currently not set and it may be some time before the money is actually deposited into Canadian bank accounts. However, if you are a Canadian resident (except in Quebec), more information will be posted on the Settlement's website.

"Batterygate" is the name given to one of the most contentious events in Apple's history that occurred in 2017. The tech giant was accused of slotting down the performance of older iPhones through an update.

The update in question was initially promised to extend the battery life and longevity of older iPhone models. However, it was soon discovered that the update actually hid a very negative impact for older iPhone users.

Originally, Apple forcefully claimed that the update, which reduced the performance of older phones, was necessary to stop those models from randomly shutting down. However, Apple did not mention this in the update notes and it was impossible to turn off this feature. This led to court action, which Apple settled in the U.S. in 2020.

Outside of the court settlement, Apple also added the ability to turn off CPU throttling, making battery replacement cheaper for affected models. Apple also developed software to manage battery health and added it to its newest phones, which includes a low-power mode to maintain battery health.

Canada was not the only country affected by "Batterygate," and Apple's $500 million settlement payout has gradually begun across the United States.

The amount appears to vary, with X reporting that affected users received a payment of $92.17 in January. This is more than the $25 per covered device that was originally said to be expected after the settlement was reached in 2020.

This is the essence of a class action lawsuit. Since the total amount is divided by the number of claimants after deducting attorneys' fees, apparently fewer people than originally anticipated received the offer. As in Canada, those affected in the U.S. can follow the latest developments at the U.S. settlement site here.

Despite the offer of an apology, Apple continues to stand by their decision, stating that the settlement "is not an admission of liability, wrongdoing, or negligence on Apple's part, but a denial of the allegations against Apple."

Hopefully, this means that the matter will soon come to an end and those affected will see peace of mind.

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