In 2020, Apple owed some Powerbeats 2 earbuds owners from the U.S. after users sued the company for device defects. On May 18, claimants of the $9.75 million-worth lawsuit started receiving payouts.
According to MacRumors, some owners of said defective earbuds have sent a receipt of the settlement from Apple, thus confirming that the Cupertino company is now paying the affected users.
The screenshot sent to MacRumors on May 18, Tuesday, reads: "You received $114.12 from Simmons, et al. v. Apple Inc., et al." The said amount reflects the Settlement Agreement and Court Orders.
However, it was reported last year that some users are eligible for up to $189 of settlement.
Defect That Led to Lawsuit
A lawsuit was filed in 2017 after some users claimed that the Powerbeats2 stopped working. The dissatisfied customers of Apple, led by Latanya Simmons and Kevin Tobin, brought the issue to the Superior Court of California, Apple Insider reports.
In particular, the users said that the earbuds would not charge or switch on. Also, they noted that it happens even after a short-time use. Moreover, the issue starts to manifest when the product is met with moisture.
If said claims are proven true, it is contrary to the promise of Apple that the accessory is sweat and water-resistant, not to mention robust. In addition, the plaintiffs also claimed that the company lied about the battery life of the said device. The warranty replacement system was also raised and queried in the case.
These claims, however, were not proven to be true, not by the court, according to The Verge. Instead, Apple turned to settle the case with a whopping $9.75 million. It is, according to the company, to avoid further litigation expenses. But, the company remained firm that the allegations are false.
The Powerbeats 2 launched in 2014. And since then, users are saying that they are experiencing defects perhaps attributed to moisture.
In other related news, the new Beats Studio Buds are coming and there are some leaks about it.
How to Claim
If you bought a Powerbeats2 earbud before August 7, you're supposedly eligible for the claim. However, unfortunately, the form for claiming has been closed by November 2020. It's too late if you only heard or read about it now.
On the flip side, those who have submitted before the deadline only had to submit proof of purchase. Now, these customers are starting to receive their payout.
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This article is owned by Tech Times
Written by Teejay Boris
