You could be eligible for a piece of Apple’s $35 million iPhone 7 settlement

Customers who have used one of the devices between the dates of September 16th, 2016, and January 3rd, 2023, are potentially eligible to make a claim, but the requirements are pretty strict. Eligible parties fall into one of two groups: people who paid out of pocket for repairs on their iPhone 7 or 7 Plus due to audio issues or customers who are on the books as having reported a problem that didn’t pay for a repair.

Members who paid Apple out of pocket for repairs or replacements for Covered Issues, as reflected in Apple’s records, who do not opt out and timely submit payment information to the Settlement Administrator will receive an equal payment of at least $50 and no more than $349.  

Settlement Class Members who reported Covered Issues to Apple, but who did not pay Apple out of pocket for repairs or replacements for Covered Issues, will receive an equal payment of up to $125. 

According to Apple’s statement in the settlement proposal, its records showed that “…on average, following alleged manifestation, customers paid $193 in out-of-pocket expenses to Apple for repairs or replacements allegedly related to the Covered Issues.”

MacRumors reported in 2018 that a document sent to Apple Authorized Service Providers acknowledged microphone audio issues with some iPhone 7 devices running iOS 11.3; however, in the settlement, “Apple denies all of the allegations made in the Lawsuit, denies that the iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus experienced any audio issues, and denies that Apple did anything improper or unlawful.”