For unknown reasons, the deadline for iPhone 7 users to apply to be included in Apple's class action settlement has been extended, but there are still stringent conditions, and time is again running out.
iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus
Having initially set a deadline of June 3, 2023, the United States District Court for the Northern District of California has revised the date to July 3, 2024. It's not clear why the change was made, or quite when, but nothing else has altered so the same conditions apply.
Specifically, the only people who can apply are those who have already been sent a postcard by the settlement administrator.
This all concerns a class action suit brought against Apple over what was called the "loop disease" audio problem with the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus. More properly known as the Audio IC Defect, it meant that some users had greyed-out speaker buttons while on a call.
They also had a loss of Siri voice commands, microphone audio quality was degraded, and the Voice Memos app didn't work. It took six years for the suit to end with Apple agreeing to settle for a total of $35 million.
That settlement did also include certain conditions, which then limited the number of users who were sent the postcards by the settlement administrator. Specifically, cards went to users who:
- Owned an iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus between September 16, 2016, and January 3, 2023
- Have documentation showing they complained to Apple
- Paid Apple for a repair or replacement
There is an exception to that last part. If a user qualifies on the first two points but did not pay for any repairs, they will get up to $125 in compensation.
Users who did pay for repairs will get an amount that varies from $50 to $349, presumably related to their original repair cost.
Following the new July 3, 2024, deadline, there will be a Final Approval Hearing that determines the amounts, and who will get them. That is scheduled for July 18, 2024.
It's not known yet when any qualifying user will be paid, though. Note that following the similar process over settlement of the so-called batterygate class action suit, it took around a year for payments to be made.