By Zoe Han
To qualify, you'll need a piece of information from Apple
Have you ever owned an iPhone 7? Apple (AAPL) might owe you money.
Consumers who owned an iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus at any time between Sept. 16, 2016, and Jan. 3, 2023, and registered a complaint with Apple about problems with the phone's audio could qualify for a payout of up to $349 from a class-action settlement. The deadline to submit a claim for the money is Monday, June 3, at 11:59 p.m. Pacific time (2:59 a.m. Eastern time on Tuesday).
People who paid Apple for repairs or a replacement could receive up to $349, and people who reported issues to Apple but did not pay for repairs or a replacement could get up to $125. The minimum payout amount for Apple users who qualify and are approved for the settlement is $50.
After the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus came out in 2016, some owners reported problems with the phones' audio, such as not being able to hear calls. A group of owners filed a class-action lawsuit against Apple, alleging that the problem was related to an audio IC chip and was a design and manufacturing flaw.
Apple denied the allegations, including that the phone model had any audio issues or that the company had done anything unlawful. However, the two sides reached an agreement that Apple would pay $35 million as a settlement to avoid further costs.
Apple has sent out email notices or postcards to the iPhone users who qualify. Consumers can also call 1-833-633-0343 or write to Tabak v. Apple Class Action Administrator, 1650 Arch St., Suite 2210, Philadelphia, PA 19103, according to the settlement website.
Qualified users will need a notice ID and confirmation code from Apple. Once they receive that information, they can enter it on the settlement portal under "select payment," or they can opt to send the information by mail.
Apple did not immediately respond to MarketWatch's request for comment.
Class-action lawsuits are one way consumers can get compensation if they feel they've been harmed by a company's actions. However, it's not always easy to keep track of the settlements from these cases, even for people who are eligible for a payout. There are websites that can help consumers track such lawsuits, such as ClassAction.org and Top Class Actions.
-Zoe Han
This content was created by MarketWatch, which is operated by Dow Jones & Co. MarketWatch is published independently from Dow Jones Newswires and The Wall Street Journal.
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05-17-24 0920ET
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