Apple has to pay some money to users who experienced battery swelling with their older Apple Watch. Specifically, anyone who owned an Apple Watch Series 1, 2 or 3 is eligible for a payout of $20 million, which the Cupertino company has agreed to pay.
The lawsuit, Smith et al. v. Apple Inc., was filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California. Apple “denies all allegations of wrongdoing” despite agreeing to the settlement.
Why is Apple settling if it did nothing wrong? The company says it wishes to “avoid further costs of litigation.” In a statement to The Verge, Apple's Aushawna Collins said the firm “strongly disagree[s] with the claims made against these early generation Apple Watch models.”
How to get the money you're owed
It is important to note that you must have owned an Apple Watch Series 1, 2 or 3 and have reported any potential battery swelling issues to Apple between April 24th, 2015 and February 6, 2024.
If you qualify and have already reported the issue (it's long past the time to be able to report), you have until April 10 to file a claim. You must visit the claim website to get what's coming to you. If you own one of the best Apple Watch models released recently, you won't be eligible.
The amount for each swelling watch is not significant. The FAQ says you'll receive between $20 and $50 if you have an affected watch and meet the requirements mentioned above. If you don't want to be included, you have until February 24, 2025, to opt-out or object to the settlement.
