If you live in the United States and owned an iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus between September 16, 2016, and January 3, 2023, Apple might owe you as much as $349 as part of a settlement agreement in a lawsuit over a defective chip.
Apple has agreed to settle a class action lawsuit brought against the company, over claims “the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus experienced certain audio issues allegedly related to the “audio IC” chip.” As is often the case in these scenarios, Apple denies the devices had any such issues and denies all allegations of wrongdoing. However, that hasn’t stopped the company from agreeing to create a $35 million settlement fund that will be paid to customers who owned the allegedly defective devices.
The case settlement has its own official website, aptly titled smartphoneaudiosettlement.com. If a District Court Judge in California approves the settlement, it could mean significant payouts for affected users.
Are you part of the iPhone 7 settlement?
The site’s FAQs clearly set out who might be eligible for a payment as part of the settlement. Specifically, “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.” If those customers reported to Apple in the United States issues with the device pertaining to the iPhone’s sound, speaker, or microphones, or unexpected restart and shutdown issues, they’ll be eligible. The class includes but is not limited to users “who paid Apple out of pocket for repairs or replacements for Covered Issues as reflected in Apple’s records.”
Class members who are eligible will be paid differently based on whether they paid out of pocket for a repair or replacement. Settlement class members who did pay could receive as much as $349, and no less than $50. Meanwhile, settlement class members who did report the issues but didn’t pay Apple out of pocket for a repair or replacement device “will receive an equal payment of up to $125. Naturally, the settlement pool is fixed, so the payouts depend on how many people come forward seeking compensation. The more claimants, the lower the payments.
If you think you might be eligible you should check out the settlement website, as your rights are affected whether you do or don’t act in response to the settlement.
Apple's iPhone 7 was the company's best iPhone to date way back in 2018, introducing a new A10 Fusion chip and eschewing the headphone jack for the first time.
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