Apple Settles Class Action Lawsuit with $20 Million Payout for Apple Watch Users

Mon 3rd Feb, 2025

Apple has reached an out-of-court settlement in a class action lawsuit concerning hardware issues in older Apple Watch models. This legal dispute, which has been ongoing since 2021, specifically involves the Series 1, Series 2, Series 3, and the original Apple Watch from 2015. As part of the settlement, the tech giant will distribute a total of $20 million to affected users, as reported by CNET. Notably, Apple has not admitted any wrongdoing in this case.

The lawsuit arose from growing reports of battery swelling in certain Apple Watch models, which caused the screens to detach from the devices, rendering them unusable. In response to these claims, Apple had previously initiated a free repair program for the Series 2 model in 42mm size. The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California (Case No. 4:21-cv-09527 / N.D. Cal.).

The settlement implies that each eligible claimant will receive approximately $20 for their device, although those with stronger claims could receive up to $50, depending on the final number of participants in the class action. Currently, the registration phase for affected users is open, and they are encouraged to submit their claims by April 10. Devices must have been purchased no later than February 24, 2025, which should be easily met given the age of the models in question.

Apple stated in a communication to CNET that this settlement pertains to devices that are no longer available for purchase. The company firmly denied the allegations made against its earlier-generation Apple Watch models but chose to settle to avoid further legal disputes.

This is not the first instance where Apple has faced legal action related to display issues in its smartwatches, as a similar lawsuit was filed in 2018 concerning screen detachment, likely stemming from the same battery swelling issue. Reports of such problems have decreased significantly in newer models starting from the Series 4, suggesting that Apple may have implemented internal changes to address these concerns.


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