Apple recently settled a lawsuit over the iPhone slowdown - or Batterygate - controversy, in which it intentially slowed down older iPhones to optimise their performance. Now, under the terms of the settlement, you can potentially claim compensation if you owned an iPhone that Apple throttled.

Just don't expect a massive payout. Here's what you need to know.

What is the iPhone slowdown controversy?

There have always been conspiracies about tech companies deliberately slowing down their old products to get consumers to upgrade to their newer products.

Well, three years ago, Apple admitted it issued a software update that temporarily slowed down processes on older iPhones that had degraded batteries. Apple claimed batteries degrade over time, and it aimed to "deliver the best experience." The update specifically rolled out a power management feature meant to extend the life of an aging iPhone.

Many were outraged over the slowing of their iPhones, and the company was taken to court. In March 2020, it agreed to a $500 million settlement.

How to claim your settlement compensation

MacRumors spotted a new website that allows you to submit your claim for compensation. You just need to prove you owned a throttled iPhone.

Note: You are giving up your right to individually sue Apple if you submit a claim.

Verify you qualify

To qualify for a payout, you must have owned one of the following:

  • An iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, 6S, iPhone 6S Plus, or iPhone SE running iOS 10.2.1 or later before 21 December 2017
  • An iPhone 7 or 7 Plus that ran iOS 11.2 or later before December 21, 2017

Submit your claim

If you owned a qualifying iPhone, follow these steps:

  1. Go to this settlement site.
  2. Look for the “submit a claim online” section. You can also submit a claim by mail.
  3. You’ll be asked to provide the phone’s serial number.
  4. If you don’t have your phone's serial number, you can search the database to find your serial number by submitting your Apple ID, device type, name, and address.
  5. Once you’ve submitted your claim, you’ll receive a claim ID and a code via email.
  6. Later, you can use this code to look up the status of your claim.
  7. That’s it!

How much will you receive?

In theory, you will receive $25 payout per device. But reports have said that it could be smaller if the number of claims exceeds the $500 million settlement.

When will you get your check?

According to a FAQ page on the settlement website, a final hearing is scheduled for 4 December 2020, when a judge is expected to finalise the settlement.

If that happens, and there is no appeal, then the settlement payouts will be immediately distributed.