Second Payment Emails for Refurbished Apple Device Class Action Lawsuit Going Out Tomorrow

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A second wave of Apple customers eligible for a payment under a $95 million Apple refurbished device lawsuit are today receiving emails letting them know that the funds will be sent out starting tomorrow.

applerefurbishedgoodastwo feature

As Settlement Administrator for the matter, we're sending you this courtesy email to inform you that by January 9, 2024, 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 May 15, 2024, to claim your payment.

Back in 2021, Apple agreed to pay $95 million to settle an AppleCare-related lawsuit that accused the company of violating U.S. law by providing customers with refurbished replacement devices instead of new devices when AppleCare repairs were required.

The settlement was approved in April 2022, and Apple sent out some payments starting in August 2022, but a new wave of emails went out to customers today. The lawsuit covered iPhones and iPads purchased between July 20, 2012 and September, 30, 2021 and replaced with a refurbished device.

A second wave of payments that are being sent out to disburse remaining funds after the first payments were received. Only 31 percent of those eligible claimed the first payment, leaving money for a second payment.

While Apple paid $95 million to settle the lawsuit, the company admitted no wrongdoing and has denied that refurbished devices are inferior to new devices.

Tags: AppleCare Guide, Apple Lawsuits

Top Rated Comments

mrochester Avatar
mrochester
27 months ago

I never really understood how Apple thought this was ok. You have a customer that pays for a warranty. Their device breaks. The warranty says they will be given a new device and then they are given an already used and repaired device? It just seems wrong.

If I'm misunderstanding how this worked someone let me know.
The warranty terms don’t state the customer will get a new device.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
RumorConsumer Avatar
RumorConsumer
27 months ago
This is so disgusting to me. And wasteful. Refurbs are fine especially through Apple's process. They care so incredibly much about making sure each customer only comes in once for each issue it's just so gross to insist on a new device for one that is having an issue. Apple's refurbs are cosmetically perfect. Flawless. To insist on new... throw up in my mouth.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
webkit Avatar
webkit
27 months ago

I never really understood how Apple thought this was ok. You have a customer that pays for a warranty. Their device breaks. The warranty says they will be given a new device and then they are given an already used and repaired device? It just seems wrong.

If I'm misunderstanding how this worked someone let me know.
I don't think customers were necessarily promised new but rather a replacement that was "new OR equivalent to new in performance and reliability." The complaint was that refurbished is not "equivalent to new" in performance and reliability.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ignatius345 Avatar
ignatius345
27 months ago

I never realized they were refurbished. I've had an iPhone 5 and iPhone 6S replaced because I damaged it. AppleCare covered and it was replaced. They worked perfectly fine and then I upgraded from there. For refurbished they worked perfectly fine.
Me neither. I think when they replaced my iPhone on the occasion in question, I was just very grateful to be getting a new one. I'd broken the screen all on my own and they just very nicely gave me a free replacement, well before AppleCare+ rolled out. I'll be promptly forking that settlement money back over to them in some form anyway, tbh.

I've always bought refurbished Apple products when I can and have found them totally indistinguishable from new ones (aside from the plainer box). Still doesn't get Apple off the hook re: the legality of settling warranty claims with refurbished devices, though.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
WarmWinterHat Avatar
WarmWinterHat
27 months ago

I don't know, shouldn't you be given a new device if that's what you were promised when you bought the warranty?
I think so, if that is what the wordage or law states, which apparently it did. Otherwise, it's simply a contract violation on Apple's part, regardless of how nice the refurb is.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mrochester Avatar
mrochester
27 months ago

Me neither. I think when they replaced my iPhone on the occasion in question, I was just very grateful to be getting a new one. I'd broken the screen all on my own and they just very nicely gave me a free replacement, well before AppleCare+ rolled out. I'll be promptly forking that settlement money back over to them in some form anyway, tbh.

I've always bought refurbished Apple products when I can and have found them totally indistinguishable from new ones (aside from the plainer box). Still doesn't get Apple off the hook re: the legality of settling warranty claims with refurbished devices, though.
There’s nothing illegal about Apple settling warranty claims with refurbished devices. It’s how it still works.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
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