Apple’s bid to block a £2 billion UK class-action lawsuit accusing the company of knowingly installing faulty batteries in multiple iPhone models has been unsuccessful. The lawsuit was brought by Justin Gutmann, a UK resident, on behalf of 25 million iPhone owners. It alleges that Apple included defective and unsuitable batteries in three consecutive generations of older iPhones. The legal action was initiated in the previous year, and in November 2023, London’s Competition Appeal Tribunal rejected Apple’s request to dismiss the case.
Allegations of iPhone Battery ‘Throttling’
In 2022, Justin Gutmann initiated a lawsuit against Apple, alleging that batteries used in iPhone 6, 6 Plus, 6s, SE, 7, and 7 Plus were unable to meet the demands of the devices’ operating system and processor. The lawsuit also claims that Apple released automatic iOS updates that included a “power management tool” designed to slow down or throttle the processor, resulting in reduced device performance. This led many users to either replace their iPhone batteries at a high cost or upgrade to a new iPhone model.
In May 2023, Apple attempted to block the lawsuit and refuted all the allegations, characterizing them as baseless. With the exception of some iPhone 6s models, Apple completely denied any issues with its batteries. The company stated that it would never intentionally take actions to shorten the lifespan of its products or degrade the user experience.
Despite Apple’s efforts and explanations, the UK iPhone battery lawsuit has not been blocked. Apple has been frequently associated with allegations of “throttling” and has faced various similar “batterygate” lawsuits in the United States. Additionally, in 2020, France imposed a $27 million fine on the Cupertino tech giant for battery throttling issues.
iPhones Qualify for Compensation in Apple Battery Lawsuit
The UK iPhone battery lawsuit covers iPhones released between 2014 and 2016. This includes seven models, ranging from Apple’s flagship models at the time to the first generation of Apple’s most affordable iPhone SE.
- iPhone 6
- iPhone 6 Plus
- iPhone 6s
- iPhone 6s Plus
- iPhone 7
- iPhone 7 Plus
- iPhone SE (1st generation)
If you own any of these iPhone models, you do not need to register anywhere to participate in the case and claim compensation. You will be invited to claim any damages you may be eligible for at a later date.
The original “batterygate” controversy emerged in the United States in 2017, alleging that Apple intentionally slowed down older iPhones, including iPhone 6, 7, and SE models. Until earlier this year, the lawsuit remained unresolved. However, in mid-2023, Apple had no choice but to settle the lawsuit. As part of the settlement, Apple agreed to pay $500 million, and the payments began in August 2023. Additionally, the company settled for a fine of over $100 million in a separate lawsuit in Arizona.
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