Apple customers who have had audio problems with their iPhone 7 or 7 Plus have just over a week to file a claim for $349 cash, thanks to a class action settlement.
A 2019 lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for Northern California alleged that defective “audio IC” chips in these phone models led to pervasive audio problems with calls, Siri, the Voice Memos app, the reliability of the internal microphone and more.
Apple’s third-party repair professionals called it ‘Loop disease‘ when this series of recurring issues emerged with phones sold between early 2017 and late 2018.
While eligible iPhone customers included in the settlement may have already received a postcard or email notification about their fair share of the $35 million award, the winning legal team has also posted an informational site.
Here’s what you need to know to find out if you qualify and how to get paid.
A 2019 lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for Northern California alleged that defective audio IC chips in the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus led to widespread audio problems with calls, Siri, the Voice Memos app, microphone fidelity, and more . Apple settled for $35 million, but admitted no wrongdoing
Apple customers who have had audio problems with their iPhone 7 or 7 Plus have just over a week to file a claim for $349 cash, thanks to a class action settlement. The June 3, 2024 deadline for filing a claim is also the deadline for filing objections to denied claims
The June 3, 2024 deadline to file a claim, according to the settlement information siteis also the deadline for filing appeals against denied claims – meaning iPhone 7 and 7 Plus customers concerned about peripheral issues should file early.
Apple customers living in the United States who purchased an iPhone 7 or 7 Plus between September 16, 2016 and January 3, 2023 may be eligible if they report audio issues with the phone to Apple and/or pay Apple for a replacement or repair.
To file a claim, iPhone 7 or 7 Plus owners will need to download, print and mail a settlement notice.payment confirmation form‘ by June 3.
Qualified claimants will likely receive at least $50 and as much as $349, depending on the level of repairs or replacements they previously personally paid to Apple for their audio issues with their iPhone 7 or 7 Plus.
Above is Apple’s iPhone 7, almost when the device debuted in September 2016
Any customer who reported audio problems but did not pay Apple for repairs or replacements is eligible for a settlement payment of up to $125.
Attorneys for the six original plaintiffs in the 2019 lawsuit, Andrea Gold and Greg Coleman, said they were “proud of the nationwide class action settlement that is pending final court approval.”
Although Apple has agreed to pay the $35 million settlement, the company has denied any wrongdoing regarding the problem with the ‘audio IC’ chip in these two models of their best-selling and iconic line of iPhone mobile devices .
But as one customer on the company’s discussion forum described his struggle with “loop disease,” “We are so frustrated with Apple and our daughter’s iPhone 7. She can’t hear callers, use FaceTime or Siri, or use her headphones.
‘We finally have a name for the problem: loop disease. Has anyone else had this problem and if so, were you able to solve it?’ the concerned parent asked. ‘Preferably without spending any more money.’
DailyMail.com has contacted Apple for comment on the settlement and will update this article if they respond.