Media365
Apple will pay a compensation worth $20 million, roughly ₹1.75 crore, as part of the settlement of a class-action lawsuit on early Apple Watch generations. According to the lawsuit, Apple Watch Series 1, Series 2, and Series 3 models had an issue that caused their batteries to swell up, resulting in damages to the smartwatch — and its users, in some cases.
While Apple has agreed to pay the settlement, it continues to “strongly” disagree with the claims in the lawsuit. In its response to the lawsuit, Apple said it has “agreed to settle to avoid further litigation.”
The settlement payout of $20 million when disbursed to all impacted customers will come down to roughly $20 to $50 per customer, depending on the Apple Watch model. A detailed breakdown of eligibility and deadlines to receive the payout is available on a dedicated website.
“The Settlement provides for a $20 million fund for payments to Settlement Class Members who are natural persons who reside in the United States who own or owned a Covered Watch for personal and/or household use and who are reflected in Apple’s records as having reported issues potentially related to battery swell in the United States,” said the Notice of Class Action Settlement.
While the document lists multiple eligibility criteria, the most important requirement is that the impacted user should have informed Apple about the issue in the US between April 4, 2015 and February 6, 2024. After filing a claim, eligible customers will receive notices via post or email. The website also says that the “Settlement Class Members will receive a payment without the need to submit a claim form.”
While eligible customers can claim their share in the settlement payout, they also have the option to object to the settlement. They can also opt out of it, according to the document.
