It’s never fun when your phone has problems, but if enough people call a company out on it, sometimes there’s retribution. Now, a settlement from Apple has started paying out to people who owned an iPhone 7.
Apple has started issuing payments to U.S. residents involved in a class-action lawsuit concerning audio issues with the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus models, colloquially known as “Loop Disease.” Reports indicate that many claimants are receiving approximately $200, although many are receiving up to a whopping $349. That maximum payout is reserved for those who paid Apple out-of-pocket for repairs related to the defect.
The lawsuit, which consolidated complaints from multiple states filed in 2019, alleged that Apple violated consumer protection laws and breached warranties. The core issue revolved around a microphone defect that emerged in some iPhone 7 and 7 Plus devices, which happened mostly after updating to iOS 11.3. Symptoms included a grayed-out speaker button during calls, an inability for others to hear the user on calls, and no sound on video or voice memo playback.
The class action included any U.S. resident who owned an affected iPhone 7 or 7 Plus between September 16, 2016, and January 3, 2023, and had reported the audio issues to Apple and/or paid for repairs or replacements. The deadline for submitting a claim has, of course, passed a long time ago, so if you were affected by this issue and you didn’t submit a claim on time, you won’t get paid.
The lawsuit attributed the defect to inadequate materials in the iPhone’s external casing, leading to the audio chip losing electrical contact with the logic board due to the phone’s flexing during normal use. While the exact number of affected units remains unclear, an internal Apple document from May 2018, acknowledged the microphone problem.
Apple initially offered free repairs through “warranty exceptions,” but this practice ended in July 2018, leaving some customers to pay out-of-warranty fees. Although Apple agreed to the settlement, the company has denied any wrongdoing. The maximum $349 amount is quite decent and can actually make for a chunk of a new iPhone. Presumably, you wouldn’t still be using an iPhone 7 in 2025, much less so one that’s damaged, but it’s pretty nice nonetheless.
Source: MacRumors
