Apple last year agreed to pay $95 million to settle an AppleCare-related lawsuit that accused the company of violating U.S. laws and regulations by providing customers with refurbished replacement devices instead of new devices when AppleCare repairs were required.
Administrators for the case began collecting info from impacted customers back in January, and the settlement amount received final approval in April. With everything now set, Apple is ready to begin sending out payments, and customers who are expecting money are starting to receive emails. One of the emails was shared by MacRumors reader Nathan:
According to our records, you are eligible to receive a payment of $28.90 in the settlement for the matter entitled Maldonado, et al. v. Apple Inc., et al., Case No. 3:16-CV-04067-WHO.
As Settlement Administrator for the matter, we're sending you this courtesy email to inform you that by August 30, 2022, you will receive a payment notification email that contains a link to claim your payment electronically. Once you receive that email, you will have until November 28, 2022 to claim your payment.
Please monitor your email inbox carefully for our next email. Additional details about the matter are available at www.ReplacementDeviceLawsuit.com.
Customers who are eligible for a payment will get an email by August 30, and they must respond to the email by November 28, 2022 to receive their money. The lawsuit applied to customers who purchased an AppleCare Protection Plan or AppleCare+ for an iPhone or iPad between July 20, 2012 and September, 30, 2021 and who received a refurbished replacement device.
Apple's repair terms and conditions have always made it clear that the company may use "parts or products that are new or refurbished and equivalent to new in performance and reliability" when repairing or replacing a device, but the lawsuit claimed that refurbished devices are "not equivalent to new in performance and reliability." The lawsuit sought compensation for iPhone, iPad, and iPod owners who purchased AppleCare or AppleCare+ coverage and were unhappy with receiving an "inferior" refurbished device instead of a device that works "like new."
Though Apple paid $95 million to settle the lawsuit, it admitted no wrongdoing and denies that refurbished devices are inferior to new devices.
(Thanks, Nathan!)
