Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Jun 03, 2025

Apple iPhone lawsuit: Have you owned an older device? If this £768m lawsuit is successful, you could get damages

Apple iPhone lawsuit: Have you owned an older device? If this £768m lawsuit is successful, you could get damages

Up to 25 million Britons who owned an older iPhone model in 2017 could be able to claim damages from Apple if the lawsuit is successful.
A consumer champion is suing Apple for £768m over a software update in 2017 that effectively slowed down older iPhones.

Justin Gutmann is seeking damages on behalf of up to 25 million iPhone owners in the UK who were affected by Apple's practices.

Apple has admitted that a software update released in 2017 hampered the performance of devices, although it claims the software was meant to protect the phone's battery life.

Critics have accused the company of purposefully reducing the effectiveness of older models to push customers towards buying newer ones.

The company previously paid $113m to settle a similar case in Arizona, and $500m to settle another in California.

Mr Gutmann's claim has been filed with the Competition Appeal Tribunal, the UK's specialist judicial body that hears cases relating to anti-competitive market practices.

It is an opt-out claim - meaning people who owned an iPhone 6, 6 Plus, 6S, 6S Plus, SE, 7, 7 Plus, 8, 8 Plus and iPhone X model do not need to actively join the case to seek damages.

"Instead of doing the honourable and legal thing by their customers and offering a free replacement, repair service or compensation, Apple instead misled people by concealing a tool in software updates that slowed their devices by up to 58%," Mr Gutmann said.

"I'm launching this case so that millions of iPhone users across the UK will receive redress for the harm suffered by Apple's actions.

"If this case is successful, I hope dominant companies will re-evaluate their business models and refrain from this kind of conduct," he added.

The scandal erupted following a study by a Reddit user who claimed that Apple's tech automatically slowed phones when the battery has a diminished charge capacity.

Apple admitted causing the issue and apologised for the apparent downgrade.

In a statement, the company explained that as the lithium-ion batteries used in its phones age they become less able to provide the top levels of electrical current needed.

The problems with peak current draws especially occur when batteries are cold or low on charge - "which can result in the device unexpectedly shutting down to protect its electronic components", Apple said.

Lithium-ion batteries lose their capacity over time due to the physical wear-and-tear of ions passing through the material of the battery.

But iPhone users had complained about their devices turning off abruptly even when they had a significant amount of charge left.

The company eventually said it would be replacing users' batteries for a discounted rate for a limited time and also introduce a feature to allow users to turn off the power management tool.

The company said it had never and would never do anything to intentionally shorten the lifetime of a product. Its chief executive Tim Cook publicly apologised and said Apple has not tried to mislead anyone with the software.

However Mr Gutmann claims Apple did not do enough to inform customers about its battery replacement service and that the company has abused its market dominance.

Apple has not commented on the new legal claim.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Panama Port Owner Balances US-China Pressures
France Implements Nationwide Outdoor Smoking Ban to Protect Children
German Chancellor Merz Keeps Putin Guessing on Missile Strategy
Mandelson Criticizes UK's 'Fetish' for Abandoning EU Regulations
British Fishing Boat Owner Fined €30,000 by French Authorities
Dutch government falls as far-right leader Wilders quits coalition
Harvard Urges US to Unfreeze Funds for Public Health Research
Businessman Mauled by Lion at Luxury Namibian Lodge
Researchers Consider New Destinations Beyond the U.S.
53-Year-Old Doctor Claims Biological Age of 23
Trump Struggles to Secure Trade Deals With China and Europe
Russia to Return 6,000 Corpses Under Ukraine Prisoner Swap Deal
Microsoft Lays Off Hundreds More Amid Restructuring
Harvey Weinstein’s Publicist Embraces Notoriety
Macron and Meloni Seek Unity Despite Tensions
Trump Administration Accused of Obstructing Deportation Cases
Newark Mayor Sues Over Arrest at Immigration Facility
Center-Left Candidate Projected to Win South Korean Presidency
Trump’s Tariffs Predicted to Stall Global Economic Growth
South Korea’s President-Elect Expected to Take Softer Line on Trump and North Korea
Trump’s China Strategy Remains a Geopolitical Puzzle
Ukraine Executes Long-Range Drone Strikes on Russian Airbases
Conservative Karol Nawrocki wins Poland’s presidential election
Study Identifies Potential Radicalization Risk Among Over One Million Muslims in Germany
Good news: Annalena Baerbock Elected President of the UN General Assembly
Apple Appeals EU Law Over User Data Sharing Requirements
South Africa: "First Black Bank" Collapses after Being Looted by Owners
Poland will now withdraw from the EU migration pact after pro-Trump nationalist wins Election
"That's Disgusting, Don’t Say It Again": The Trump Joke That Made the President Boil
Trump Cancels NASA Nominee Over Democratic Donations
Paris Saint-Germain's Greatest Triumph Is Football’s Lowest Point
OnlyFans for Sale: From Lockdown Lifeline to Eight-Billion-Dollar Empire
Mayor’s Security Officer Implicated | Shocking New Details Emerge in NYC Kidnapping Case
Hegseth Warns of Potential Chinese Military Action Against Taiwan
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Jamie Dimon Warns U.S. Bond Market Faces Pressure from Rising Debt
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Taylor Swift Gains Ownership of Her First Six Albums
Bangkok Ranked World's Top City for Remote Work in 2025
Satirical Sketch Sparks Political Spouse Feud in South Korea
Indonesia Quarry Collapse Leaves Multiple Dead and Missing
South Korean Election Video Pulled Amid Misogyny Outcry
Asian Economies Shift Away from US Dollar Amid Trade Tensions
Netflix Investigates Allegations of On-Set Mistreatment in K-Drama Production
US Defence Chief Reaffirms Strong Ties with Singapore Amid Regional Tensions
Vietnam Faces Strategic Dilemma Over China's Mekong River Projects
Malaysia's First AI Preacher Sparks Debate on Islamic Principles
White House Press Secretary Criticizes Harvard Funding, Advocates for Vocational Training
France to Implement Nationwide Smoking Ban in Outdoor Spaces Frequented by Children
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
×