Back in 2023, Apple agreed to pay $35 million to settle a class action lawsuit filed in the United States that alleged that the company’s iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus smartphones included a defective chip that made them prone to audio issues. Those who filed a claim have started to be paid this month.
As reported by 9to5Mac, many claimants say they are receiving approximately $200, but some report receiving up to a $349 payment.
The deadline to submit a claim passed June 3 of last year, so if you haven’t claimed your share, it is too late.
U.S. residents who owned an iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus between September 16, 2016, and January 3, 2023, and had reported audio issues covered by the settlement to Apple, and/or paid out of pocket to have an iPhone repaired or replaced due to the covered issues were eligible for the payout.
$349 was the maximum payout for those who paid Apple to have the relevant issues repaired.
In an internal document, Apple acknowledged that a microphone issue was affecting some iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus models:
Some customers might report that after they’ve updated to iOS 11.3, the microphone on their iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus doesn’t work and the speaker button is grayed out when they make or receive a call.
Symptoms:
– The speaker button is grayed out during calls
– Other people are unable to hear the customer on cellular or FaceTime calls
– If a customer plays back a video or voice memo that they’ve made after installing iOS 11.3, there is no sound
Despite acknowledging the issue internally, Apple never posted a service program about the issue on its website.
The class action lawsuit alleged that “the materials used in the iPhone’s external casing are insufficient and inadequate to protect the internal parts.” It claims that this eventually resulted in the audio chip losing electrical contact with the logic board.
The defect became known online as “Loop Disease.”
