UK Court Rules Against Apple in $1.1 Billion 'Batterygate' Lawsuit

iPhone 'Batterygate' Legal Drama Continues

The UK's Court of Appeal has denied Apple's request to dismiss a $1.1 billion lawsuit over the throttling of iPhone 6 and other models with chemically depleted batteries. Filed by consumer rights activist Justin Gutmann in 2022, the lawsuit accuses Apple of intentionally slowing down these devices without properly informing users. The affected models include the iPhone 6, 6 Plus, 6s, 6s Plus, SE, 7, and 7 Plus.

Gutmann claims that approximately 24 million UK users were impacted, experiencing issues such as slower app launches, lower speaker volume, and disabled camera flash. The lawsuit also alleges that to regain performance, users had to either upgrade to newer iPhones or pay for battery replacements.

Apple previously apologized for the throttling, explaining it was done to prevent unexpected shutdowns caused by chemically depleted batteries. In response, Apple temporarily reduced the price of battery replacements in both the UK and US. However, the company will now have to defend itself in court after failing to get the case dismissed on appeal.

UK residents who owned one of the affected models are automatically included in the lawsuit unless they opt out by June 7, 2025. Eligible claimants outside the UK can opt in by the same date. The trial date has not been set yet.