Apple agrees to pay consumers $25 for slow iPhones in settlement

Apple has tentatively agreed to pay a settlement worth up to $500 million to settle a lawsuit accusing it of intentionally slowing down older iPhones.

The class-action settlement, released Friday after months of negotiations, still has to be approved by U.S. District Judge Edward Davila in San Jose, Calif.

Apple continues to deny wrongdoing and is agreeing to the payment to avoid the burdens and costs of litigation, according to the proposed settlement.

The agreement would settle a bevy of cases filed between 2017 and 2018 that were later consolidated.

If approved, Apple would offer $25 to any current or former owner of a covered iPhone, which includes the iPhone 6, 6 Plus, 6s, 6s Plus, 7, 7 Plus and SE.

The settlement must meet a minimum payout of $310 million, which means the $25 figure could increase if few people file claims. On the other hand, if payments go over the $500 million cap, the claimants would receive less than $25.

Up to $93 million would go to lawyers involved in the case.

The Hill has reached out to Apple for comment on the proposed settlement.

In 2017, Apple revealed that it slows its phones down as they age to preserve deteriorating battery life. Soon after, the company lowered the price for replacement batteries from $79 to $29.

Apple has also confirmed that the Department of Justice and the Securities and Exchange Commission launched inquiries into the slowdowns.

France last month announced a 25 million euro fine against Apple related to the controversy.