Apple to pay up to $500M over battery-related phone slowdown

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — IPhone owners could get $25 from Apple after the company agreed to pay up to $500 million to settle claims over intentionally slowing down older phones to preserve older batteries.

Apple and lawyers representing iPhone consumers agreed to a deal stemming from Apple's 2017 admission that it was slowing down phone performance in older models to avoid unexpected shutdowns related to battery fatigue.

That admission led to Apple offering discounted battery replacements at $29, but many people claimed they had already spent hundreds of dollars to buy new phones because Apple didn't reveal the cause of the problem. If they had known they could just buy new batteries, they might not have bought new phones, some consumers in the case said.

Apple did not admit wrongdoing. As part of the settlement, the company will pay $310 million to $500 million, including about $93 million to lawyers representing consumers.

IPhone users who were named in the class-action lawsuit will get up to $3,500 each. The rest of the settlement money will be distributed to owners of iPhone 6, 6S, 7 and SE models who meet eligibility requirements related to the operating system they had running. They must file claims to get the award. If too many people file, the $25 amount could shrink.

A federal judge in San Jose, California, still needs to approve the settlement.

Should you invest $1,000 in Apple right now?

Before you consider Apple, you'll want to hear this.

MarketBeat keeps track of Wall Street's top-rated and best performing research analysts and the stocks they recommend to their clients on a daily basis. MarketBeat has identified the five stocks that top analysts are quietly whispering to their clients to buy now before the broader market catches on... and Apple wasn't on the list.

While Apple currently has a "Moderate Buy" rating among analysts, top-rated analysts believe these five stocks are better buys.

View The Five Stocks Here

12 Stocks Corporate Insiders are Abandoning Cover

If a company's CEO, COO, and CFO were all selling shares of their stock, would you want to know?

Get This Free Report

Companies Mentioned in This Article

CompanyMarketRank™Current PricePrice ChangeDividend YieldP/E RatioConsensus RatingConsensus Price Target
Apple (AAPL)
4.8674 of 5 stars
$169.02+1.3%0.57%26.33Moderate Buy$203.05
Compare These Stocks  Add These Stocks to My Watchlist 


Featured Articles and Offers

How to Become a "Make Money" Investor

How to Become a "Make Money" Investor

Whether you're a seasoned investor or just starting, this video offers valuable insights into making strategic choices that prioritize long-term growth and stability over short-term gains.

Search Headlines: