Apple has consented to pay $20 million to settle a class-action lawsuit concerning battery swelling issues in the Apple Watch. This lawsuit was initiated in 2019 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California and claims that the issue impacted the first four models of the Apple Watch.
Battery swelling refers to the accumulation of heat and gas within a lithium-ion battery, which leads to an expansion of its casing. This condition can potentially damage or fracture other components of the device due to the confined space as the battery swells.
Despite the settlement, Apple maintains that the battery swelling issue does not exist, asserting that the payout is merely a measure to prevent additional legal costs that have arisen from a prolonged lawsuit lasting over five years.
“Apple refutes all allegations presented in the lawsuit, denies that the specified watches encountered any battery swelling problems, and contends that it did nothing wrong or illegal,” the court remarked. “Apple claims numerous defenses against the accusations in this case. The proposed settlement to resolve these matters is not an admission of guilt or wrongdoing by Apple.”
The company expressed even more strongly its position in a statement to TechCrunch, declaring:
Apple Watch is built to be safe and dependable. This settlement pertains to buyers of the Original Apple Watch, Series 1, Series 2, and Series 3, all of which are no longer available for purchase. While we firmly disagree with the accusations against these initial Apple Watch models, we opted to settle to avoid ongoing litigation.
To be eligible for compensation, users must have reported the issue to Apple customer service between April 24, 2015, and February 6, 2024. Only individuals residing in the U.S. qualify. They will be informed via postcard or email. Compensation amounts will vary depending on the number of complaints raised during the specified timeframe, with class payments ranging between $20 and $50.
Owners of the watches must also provide their payment details on the official lawsuit website by April 10, 2025, to receive their payment.
This settlement comes shortly after Google-owned Fitbit was ordered to pay a $12.25 million penalty over battery overheating issues concerning its Ionic smartwatch.
Compiled by Techarena.au.
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