Way back in 2018, a class action lawsuit was filed against Apple, alleging a defect in early Apple Watch models that could allegedly cause the display to crack or detach from the casing.
While Apple has acknowledged some issues related to swollen batteries, and offered free service, it refused coverage for cracked or detached screens. The company has now agreed to a financial settlement for this …
The swollen batteries issue
The issue first came to light in 2017, when owners of the original Apple Watch (‘Series 0’) reported that swollen batteries were resulting in the display being pushed up from the casing. Apple responded by offering a free three-year extended warranty for the issue.
The same issue occurred with some Series 2 models, namely the 42mm versions of Sport, Nike+, Hermès, and Edition models. This time Apple technically didn’t extend the warranty, but said instead that it would offer free service for this issue for up to three years regardless of warranty status.
Finally, a new issue arose with some Series 3 GPS models: visible stripe markings on the display. It was suggested that this too may have been caused by swollen batteries applying pressure to the screen.
Cracked and detached displays
Some Apple Watch owners found that their displays cracked, or detached from the casing. Although these issues were also claimed to result from swollen batteries, Apple did not acknowledge this, nor offer any in-warranty or out-of-warranty coverage, stating instead that display damage fell under the heading of accidental damage.
A class action lawsuit was filed in 2018, alleging that Apple was aware of defects in Series 0 to Series 3 models inclusive, yet was refusing warranty claims.
Apple knew that the Watches were defective at or before the time it began selling them to the public. Furthermore, consumers complained to Apple about the Defect almost immediately after Apple released the Series 0, Series 1, Series 2, and Series 3 Watches […]
Further, Apple’s conduct, when confronted with the Defect, indicates that its internal policy is to deny the existence of the Defect, claim the Defect is the result of “accidental damage” caused by consumers, and then refuse to honor its Limited Warranty on those grounds.
$20M Apple Watch payout
Apple has never accepted the claims made in the lawsuit, but CNET reports that the company has now agreed to a settlement worth a total of $20M.
In a statement sent to CNET, Apple pushed back on the claims, stating the Apple Watch is “designed to be safe and reliable.”
“This settlement applies to purchasers of Original Apple Watch, Series 1, Series 2 and Series 3, which are no longer available for purchase,” the company said in a statement. “While we strongly disagree with the claims made against these early generation Apple Watch models, we agreed to settle to avoid further litigation.”
The payout will range from $20 to $50 each, depending on how many people file claims.
Eligibility, and how to claim payment
To qualify, you must:
- Have owned an affected Apple Watch model in the US
- Have reported it to Apple between April 24, 2015, and Feb 6, 2024
Apple will automatically notify those with a valid claim, so no action on your part is required to be included in the settlement. The payout will be made to the payment method Apple has on file for you.
However, to be safe it’s recommended that you visit this link to ensure that your payment details are up to date. You can only do this after Apple has contacted to provide your unique login codes. This must be done by April 10, 2025.
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