Apple Sued $20M Anew Over Defective Apple Watches

HIGHLIGHTS:

• Apple agreed to settle $20 million to resolve a class action lawsuit that claimed the company sold defective watches
• Each eligible class member can receive up to $50 per defective device
• A final approval hearing is scheduled for April 10, 2025.

Technology giant Apple Inc. has agreed to pay $20 million in compensation to settle a class action lawsuit that accused the company of selling Apple Watch models that are defective and prone to battery swelling.

The settlement covers consumers who own or have owned first-generation, Series 1, Series 2, or Series 3 Apple Watch and who are listed in Apple’s records as having reported battery swelling issues between April 24, 2015, and February 6, 2024.

According to the lawsuit, Apple manufactured defective Apple Watch models with insufficient internal space to accommodate normal battery swelling.

The swelling, it added, could allegedly damage the device’s screen and other components, leading to expensive repairs.

Although Apple has not admitted any wrongdoing, it agreed to the settlement in order to resolve the lawsuit.

Settlement Terms

Under the terms of the settlement, affected consumers can receive cash payments for each covered device they own or have owned.

Each class member may receive $20 per device, or, if necessary, a pro-rata share of the net settlement fund, which is expected to be less than $20.

However, if the net settlement fund exceeds $50,000, class members could receive larger payments, up to $50 per covered device.

The deadline for excluding oneself from the settlement or filing objections is February 24, 2025, with a final approval hearing scheduled for April 10, 2025.

No claim form is needed to participate in the settlement, but class members should confirm their payment information on the settlement website to ensure they receive their payment. Those who do not exclude themselves from the settlement will automatically receive the benefits.

Eligible consumers are those who owned or currently own any first-generation, Series 1, Series 2, or Series 3 Apple Watch used for personal or household purposes and are listed in Apple’s records as having reported battery swelling issues during the specified time period.

$95M Lawsuit

Earlier this year, the company also announced it would settle a $95 million class action lawsuit that accused the company of eavesdropping on conversations and sharing the information with advertisers.

The proposed settlement was filed in Oakland, California, and sought to end a five-year lawsuit revolving around claims that Apple has been secretly activating its voice assistant Siri to record private conversations through iPhones and other Siri-equipped devices for more than a decade now.

Two plaintiffs cited for instance seeing advertisements on their Apple devices upon mention of Air Jordan sneakers and Olive Garden restaurants without intentionally activating Siri.

Another person said he got ads for a brand-name surgical treatment after discussing it privately with a doctor.

Apple denied any wrongdoing but agreed to settle to free itself from the uncertainties of legal proceedings. The total amount, however, will still require the approval of US District Judge Jeffrey White before any settlement can push through.