Ending Soon! Save 33% on All Access

Apple iPhone 7 Users May Be Owed a Slice of a $35 Million Settlement — Here's How to Claim Your Share Previous (and current, no judgment) iPhone 7 users may be entitled to up to $349. The deadline to file a claim has been extended to July 3.

By Sherin Shibu Edited by Melissa Malamut

Key Takeaways

  • A proposed $35 million settlement could give Apple iPhone 7 and 7 Plus users up to $349 each.
  • The settlement applies if the users experienced audio issues and owned either model between September 16, 2016 and January 3, 2023.
  • The deadline to file has a claim has been extended to July 3.

Time is running out to claim part of a proposed $35 million settlement on a class action lawsuit leveled against Apple five years ago.

The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California in 2019 as Tabak, et al. v. Apple Inc., alleged that the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus had a faulty audio chip, which led to audio issues and limited calling and voice features. The iPhone 7 was the first Apple phone without an audio jack.

Apple denied the allegations and agreed to a $35 million class settlement in May 2023 to resolve them.

Now iPhone 7 or 7 Plus users who experienced audio issues and owned either model between September 16, 2016 and January 3, 2023 could be eligible for a slice of up to $349 of the proposed settlement.

The iPhone 7 on September 17, 2016. (Photo by Hitoshi Yamada/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

The settlement applies only to U.S. residents who reported audio issues with the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus to Apple within the specified timeframe, including problems with the phone speaker, microphone, and receiver.

Related: Apple Faces Class Action Lawsuit Over iCloud's Alleged 'Enormous Structural Advantage'

Anyone who paid Apple out of pocket for repairs or replacements related to those issues is eligible too.

The payment will be at least $50 and a maximum of $349 for those who paid Apple for repairs or replacements, and up to $125 for anyone who reported the audio-related issues with the phone to Apple.

This means that some could get back what they paid Apple for repairs. Apple's statement in the settlement proposal shows that, on average, customers paid the tech giant $193 to fix the issues covered in the filing.

The deadline to file a claim is July 3. Affected Apple customers can access the claim form on the settlement website.

Related: Apple Event: New iPad Pro Looks, Acts Like a MacBook Air

Apple is facing other lawsuits including one in March from the Department of Justice alleging anticompetitive practices.

The DOJ targeted Apple's developer fees and said the company made it hard for customers to go outside its ecosystem.

Apple said the lawsuit was "wrong on the facts and the law," and the company will "vigorously defend against it."

Related: The U.S. Justice Department Is Suing Apple in a Groundbreaking iPhone Monopoly Lawsuit

Sherin Shibu

Entrepreneur Staff

News Reporter

Sherin Shibu is a business news reporter at Entrepreneur.com. She previously worked for PCMag, Business Insider, The Messenger, and ZDNET as a reporter and copyeditor. Her areas of coverage encompass tech, business, strategy, finance, and even space. She is a Columbia University graduate.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Editor's Pick

Business News

One of America's Oldest Companies Just Laid Off 600 Workers as it Shifts Focus to Production in Mexico

Over 600 John Deere employees in Iowa and Illinois were laid off effective August 30.

Business News

Here's How Much Investing $10,000 in Nvidia When It Went Public Would Be Worth Now

Nvidia was founded in 1993 and went public in January 1999, first trading at $12 per share.

Business Culture

How Entrepreneurs Can Apply the 7 Laws of Success to Their Business and Personal Life

Most folks have a hard line between work and life. "It's just business," "I am a different person at work," etc. But what if we brought some of the beauty of the personal into the professional?

Marketing

How to Text Customers Without Getting Sued — Your SMS Marketing Compliance Guide

SMS marketing is a growing channel, but you've got to stay compliant with regulations. Here's what to know and do.

Starting a Business

The Best Funding Resources for Entrepreneurs With Disabilities

There are numerous options to assist those in need.

Management

"It Was Horrifying and Scary": Bar Rescue's Jon Taffer Describes the First Time He Screamed at Someone on Camera

Here's why Jon Taffer first started yelling on TV — and what it can teach every new manager.