Apple Watch users who experienced swelling batteries can claim from a US$20m class action settlement, but you must meet specific conditions.
Apple has agreed to a settlement but denies any wrongdoing, saying it wanted to avoid further litigation, in a court statement published by TechCrunch.
“Apple denies all of the allegations made in the lawsuit, denies that the covered watches experienced any issues related to battery swell, and denies that Apple did anything improper or unlawful,” TechCruch reports.
“Apple asserts numerous defenses to the claims in this case. The proposed settlement to resolve this case is not an admission of guilt or wrongdoing of any kind by Apple.”
Apple Watch users shouldn’t be too excited about the prospect of a substantial payout. For starters, the lawsuit settlement applies only to the first generations of Apple watches: series 1, series 2, and series 3.
Second, you must have reported the issue to Apple in the US between April 24, 2015, and February 6, 2024. If you manage to clear those hurdles, you need to lodge a claim by April 10.
Lastly, don’t expect the payout to be a fortune. US publication Engadget expects the payment to be between US$20 to US$50. That’s not much of a return for a 10 year wait.
It’s also not much given there is a danger attached to even watch batteries swelling, Reports include the case of an Apple Watch popping off, and a golf cart driver being cut when a swelling battery exposed the glass edges of the display.
You might have worn these early Apple watch versions for years before problems arose.
There is, albeit, a remote possibility of an early model Apple Watch heating up and possibly catching fire, including when it is charging. In these cases, you should turn it off and remove it from your wrist or charger. See Keep Apple Watch within acceptable operating temperatures – Apple Support
