Users of the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus who had problems with the microphone on their devices have until the end of the month to enroll to get a portion of Apple’s $35 million settlement. The IT behemoth is offering rewards ranging from $50 to $349 to those who are qualified to claim.
The audio-integrated circuit (audio IC) chips in the devices were the source of the issues that caused the microphone and speaker to fail.
Apple introduced two versions of the iPhone in 2016, and the class action complaint is based on allegations that the audio IC caused the inability to utilize the phone’s speakers or microphone, an unresponsive gadget, or an abrupt restart. Siri and voice memos, which rely on the microphone, could have also had some issues. Additional plaintiffs in the case said that they could only hear incoming calls on speakerphone or experienced static noise while attempting to view videos.
Apple allegedly knew about the problems but did nothing to provide free repairs, according to the complaint.
Much of the money that should have gone to the settlement class ends up going to the attorneys and administrative costs.
Numerous variables will determine the precise amount you’ll get. A higher portion of the compensation money will go to people who paid for repairs out of pocket, as opposed to those who complained to Apple but never paid for repairs.
It is anticipated that anyone who notified Apple about the problem but chose not to pay for repairs or replacements would get around $125. You should expect to get at least $50 and no more than $349 for any repairs you paid for.
June 3 is the cutoff date for claims. On the settlement website, you may get additional information about how to file a claim and choose between electronic check, money transfer, or paper check as your preferred method of payment.
Plaintiffs Joseph Casillas and De’Jhontai Banks first filed the case in 2019. They both bought iPhone 7s in 2017 and said they started having problems in 2018.
In the settlement deal, Apple maintained that it had not done anything wrong and that the phones did not have any audio problems.
