In an interesting turn of events, Apple now has to pay its users money following the intentional iPhone slowdown controversy. It took a long time to conclude what began as a simple conspiracy theory, but it appears being skeptical in this case is about to pay off – literally.
The issue first became a national story a few years ago, when owners of older model iPhones reported noticeably slower speeds at roughly the same point after the phone’s release. The reports became dramatically more frequent whenever Apple issued downloadable software updates. These downloads quickly drew the ire of all iPhone users due to how long the process could take. The company was hit with lawsuits from multiple states and countries, leading to an apology from Apple, along with an update that would make it easier to monitor battery health.
The Verge reports that Apple has now reached a settlement, agreeing to pay between $310 million and $500 million to resolve multiple class-action suits stemming from the slowdown issue. Owners (both current and former) of affected iPhone devices who opt-in will receive a $25 payout, provided the number of total claims and expenditures on Apple’s part stays below $500 million. If too few people make claims, individual payouts could increase. It’s the standard resolution of most class-action settlements, but many people are still surprised because of the unlikely reality of an anti-Apple conspiracy theory proving to not only be real but to also warrant Apple paying its customers.
Why Apple Slowed Down iPhones
For starters, the slowdown wasn’t as nefarious as Apple literally issuing a remote command to make phones run slower. The problem stems from a design decision intended to improve battery performance. Lithium-ion batteries like those used in iPhones are equipped with a system that tracks battery capacity. To preserve battery life, when an older iPhone detected a large strain on power (like a software update), it would slow down the processes required to complete the task. This practice extended the current battery charge, while also preventing a spike in energy expenditure from triggering a full device shutdown. Ultimately, it was a case of Apple trying to do the right thing for battery life, but through an ill-conceived method.
Over time, Apple has apologized for the problem. The company has offered reduced prices on iPhone battery replacements while explaining the source of the slowdown. However, many users were unsatisfied with those resolutions and criticized Apple for their lack of transparency on the issue. Conspiracy theories that Apple was throttling phones to encourage users to buy new ones were obviously overblown, but it’s easy for such rumors to propagate when the company isn’t forthcoming with information by default.
While $25 per person seems insignificant for a brand like Apple, in most cases where a class-action suit is leveraged against a major corporation, the resulting payout can be the only consolation. Opting in to receive the settlement payout means giving up the option to pursue individual legal action on the issue, but the likelihood of successfully suing Apple over “batterygate”, especially now that they’ve settled so many suits with this move, is practically zero. Many people criticize the decision to opt-in here, saying $25 doesn’t account for iPhone users who purchased new devices just to avoid the slowdown issue, but it could be nigh impossible to win in court against Apple and its team of lawyers on that stance alone.
Next: Apple Has Been Exaggerating Battery Life
Source: The Verge
