Apple Agrees to Pay Canadian Customers Following iPhone Throttling Controversy

Canadians may soon be eligible to receive a payment from Apple following the company's iPhone battery throttling controversy in 2017.

Apple has agreed to pay up to $14.4 million (CAD) to settle a class action lawsuit in Canada that alleged the company secretly throttled the performance of some iPhone models, and the British Columbia Supreme Court will decide whether to approve the proposed settlement on January 29, according to a website set up for the case.

If the settlement is approved, those eligible will be able to submit a claim for a payment of up to $150 (CAD) per affected iPhone from Apple. The exact payout amount will depend on the total number of claims that are submitted. Apple has denied the allegations described in the lawsuit, and the settlement does not represent an admission of fault.

The class includes any current or former resident of Canada (excluding Quebec) who owned and/or purchased an iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, and/or iPhone SE with iOS 10.2.1 or later installed or downloaded, and/or an iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus with iOS 11.2 or later installed or downloaded, before December 21, 2017.

More information about submitting a claim will be provided on the settlement's website if it is approved — no action is required at this time for those who wish to pursue this option. Those who wish to opt out of the class action to retain their rights to sue Apple over these allegations must do so by no later than January 10.

Apple was sued in multiple Canadian provinces over iPhone battery throttling in 2018, including Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario, and Saskatchewan. The cases were filed shortly after Apple revealed that it had started throttling the maximum performance of some iPhone models with "chemically aged" batteries, when necessary, to prevent the devices from unexpectedly shutting down. Apple introduced this new power management system in iOS 10.2.1, but it initially failed to mention the change in that update's release notes, leading to public outcry. Apple eventually apologized about its lack of transparency, and temporarily lowered the price of iPhone battery replacements to $29 until the end of 2018.

Apple agreed to pay up to $500 million (USD) to settle a similar class action lawsuit in the U.S., and payments of $92.17 per claim started going out this week to those who submitted claims in that case, marking the end of the so-called "batterygate" saga there.