Revealed on: Aug 14, 2025 10:58 am IST
Apple is distributing about ₹1,750 ($20) to some Apple Watch Sequence 1–3 house owners after a battery swelling lawsuit settlement.
Apple has began sending small money funds to some house owners of older Apple Watch fashions, closing the loop on a US class motion about swollen batteries. If you happen to spot an e-mail titled “Smith et al. v. Apple Inc. Settlement” with a digital pay as you go Mastercard hyperlink, that’s doubtless the payout discover. Most recipients are seeing about ₹1,750 (roughly $20), with a couple of reporting barely extra relying on what number of complete claims have been permitted. The distribution is going on this week by way of e-mail, not bodily cheques, and it’s tied to a settlement fund Apple agreed to earlier this yr with out admitting any wrongdoing.
What this payout covers and who certified
The lawsuit alleged that early Apple Watch designs didn’t depart sufficient inner tolerance for regular battery growth over time. In affected models, a swelling cell may push up on the show, resulting in raise, cracks, and even full detachment from the casing. Some customers reported operational points when this occurred; a handful claimed minor cuts from uncovered edges. Apple’s place has remained constant: the corporate denies a defect and says the merchandise have been protected to make use of. To keep away from a chronic and costly authorized course of, Apple agreed to a $20 million settlement that covers funds to permitted claimants, authorized charges, and administration prices.
The scope of the settlement is slim. It applies to Apple Watch Sequence 1, Sequence 2, and Sequence 3, and solely to eligible customers tied to the US motion. Many individuals have been robotically included if Apple already had a service document for a battery swelling subject on their machine. Others may file by the official settlement portal as much as the reported deadline of April 10, 2025. The minimal payout was set at $20 per permitted machine and remaining quantities range barely based mostly on the variety of legitimate claims. If you happen to owned an affected watch however neither had a documented service interplay nor filed a declare earlier than the deadline, you’re unlikely to obtain something now. Class motion settlements sometimes require both computerized inclusion by current information or a well timed declare.
If you happen to imagine you certified and haven’t heard again, search your inbox and spam for the topic line above, then verify the settlement web site’s FAQs for submit‑deadline standing and make contact with info. Importantly, nothing on this settlement implies protection for newer Apple Watch fashions. The language and reported eligibility give attention to Sequence 1 by Sequence 3 solely. There is no such thing as a indication of broader compensation past the US class. For customers who nonetheless personal an older watch and are anxious, the sensible subsequent step stays customary Apple assist channels. Relying on guarantee standing, shopper safety legal guidelines in your nation and machine situation, choices might embrace restore, paid service or improve pathways. This settlement doesn’t change Apple’s coverage in different areas outdoors of the US and it doesn’t create a worldwide entitlement to money payouts, in keeping with the corporate.
