iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus owners may be eligible for a payout as part of a $35 million settlement related to issues with the audio chip. Users who experienced problems with the audio chip could receive compensation of up to $349 as part of a lawsuit filed in the US District Court for the Northern District of California in 2019.
To be eligible for the payout, users must have owned an iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus between September 16, 2016, and January 3, 2023, and either reported issues to Apple or paid for a related repair. The audio chip in these models manages sound output through speakers or headphones.
Apple denied any wrongdoing and allegations of issues with the devices. The company did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding the settlement. The issue with the audio chip arose after Apple removed the headphone jack from the iPhone 7 models in September 2016 to enhance sound quality, design, and water resistance.
Eligible users may receive notifications about the settlement via email or postcard. The deadline to file a claim on the settlement website is June 3, with the final approval hearing scheduled for July 18.
Notably, this is not the first lawsuit payout involving iPhone models. Apple previously settled a class-action lawsuit for $500 million, where customers who purchased iPhone 6, 6 Plus, 6s, 6s Plus, 7, 7 Plus, or SE before December 21, 2017, were eligible for a $25 payout. The lawsuit alleged that Apple slowed down older devices with system upgrades, prompting users to upgrade to newer models.
