Apple Watch owners could get up to $50 from $20 million battery lawsuit settlement
TL;DR: You might be entitled to a little cash from Apple in its latest legal settlement if your old Apple Watch’s battery has started swelling. The company recently agreed to pay $20 million to put an end to a class-action lawsuit related to this issue.
The settlement covers anyone in the US who experienced swollen battery issues with the first-generation Apple Watch, Series 1, Series 2, and Series 3 models between April 2015 and February 2024 – and complained to Apple about the issue during that period. The problem potentially led to the battery pushing against other internal components, damaging them over time.
Of course, $20 million, split among potentially millions of affected users, isn’t going to make anyone rich. The settlement website estimates payouts will likely range from just $20 to $50 per watch. But free money is free money. If you think you qualify, you’ll need to submit a claim form via the settlement website by April 10, 2025.
Even though $20 million isn’t pocket change, Apple agreed to the settlement while continuing to deny any wrongdoing related to the battery issues. The company said it was settling simply to “avoid further costs of litigation” and specifically denies the plaintiffs’ allegations.
Therefore, as part of the deal, anyone who accepts a payout has to give up their right to separately sue Apple over the watch battery problems in the future.
The battery settlement is just the latest of Apple’s recent legal woes and payouts. Last month, the company agreed to a $95 million settlement over claims that its Siri voice assistant was illegally recording users’ private conversations without permission.
Apple is currently fighting another class action accusing it of failing to disclose the use of “forever chemicals” – substances that take an extremely long time to break down – in some of its watch bands like the Sport Band and Nike Sport Band.
If the battery settlement receives final court approval on April 10, payouts could start rolling out soon after – assuming there are no appeals. Users who filed complaints don’t need to do anything else, as Apple will send payments to the contact info on file from their original watch registration.
Image credit: oasisamuel
