Apple begins paying out $500 million to iPhone customers who claim it purposefully slowed down devices during 'batterygate' scandal

Apple has started paying its $500 million settlement to iPhone users in the US who accused the tech giant of deliberately slowing down devices.

The 2017 so-called “batterygate” scandal was labeled “one of the largest consumer frauds in history,” forcing users to invest in new iPhone models.

Now, three million owners of certain iPhone models who filed the complaint will receive approximately $92 for each affected model.

Apple agreed in 2020 to settle a class action lawsuit filed in 2017 that accused the company of deliberately slowing down phones over time — but Apple has not admitted wrongdoing.

The payouts apply to owners of the iPhone 6, 6 Plus, 6s, 6s Plus and SE if they had iOS 10.2.1 or later before December 21, 2017, along with iPhone 7 or 7 Plus on iOS 11.2.

Those who qualify will receive their payout this monthwith some already reporting that they have received refunds.

People hoping to receive the payout should have filed a complaint before October 6, 2020.

The 2018 California class action lawsuit said reports of unexplained iPhone shutdowns first came to light in 2015 before peaking in the fall of the following year.

Users' concerns centered on their phones turning off even though their batteries still had more than 30 percent charge.

Apple said in a statement at the time: “We have never done anything — and would never do anything — to intentionally shorten the life of any Apple product or degrade the user experience to incentivize customer upgrades.”

Apple blamed the batteries, claiming that the devices' performance declines as they age.

While Apple's statements may be factual, the company failed to make these comments before users experienced slower performance.

Many iPhone users are seeing money flowing into their bank accounts. Michael Burkhardt shared an image on X showing him receiving six payments of $92.17

Many iPhone users are seeing money flowing into their bank accounts.

Michael Burkhardt shared an image on X showing him receiving six payments of $92.17.

Apple admitted in 2017 that it deliberately “softens” the performance of its smartphones when a battery becomes too old.

A consumer watchdog that evaluates the performance of electronic gadgets has caused a stir after discovering that the processing power of older models is limited once battery life starts to suffer.

Many claimed it was an attempt to force users to upgrade to the latest model.

Apple's 'batterygate' didn't just happen in the US; the company has agreed to pay settlements in Canada and Britain for the same claims.