It appears that some iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus owners in the United States are now reporting receipt of payments from the Tabak v Apple Qualified Settlement Fund. This development follows the conclusion of a class-action lawsuit that accused Apple of concealing an audio playback defect in these models.
The lawsuit, titled Tabak et al. v. Apple Inc., centered around allegations that a significant number of iPhone 7 and 7 Plus units suffered from audio issues due to a faulty audio IC chip, colloquially known as “loop disease.” This defect was claimed to lead to audio playback problems, necessitating repairs or replacements at the expense of consumers.
Reddit users began posting about the emails about the settlement payout a few hours ago. Many said they were surprised to see the money arrive after months of silence. Others questioned whether the emails were scams, but links led to checkbook.io’s secure portal. The settlement website confirms the payments are legitimate.
One person even went as far as to share a screenshot of the money appearing in their bank account.
It’s worth noting that not everyone will qualify. Only those who filed claims by the deadline are eligible. If you’re looking for more details about the settlement, you can check out the official settlement FAQ page. As for the amount people are receiving, many confirmed they got $200 while some claim to have received the maximum payout of $349.
This isn’t Apple’s first defect-related payout. The company settled a separate lawsuit over iPhone battery throttling in 2020, paying users up to $92 per claim.
For those still waiting, we’d advise checking spam folders or contacting the settlement administrator. Apple has not made any comments about the settlement money being disbursed.
While $200 won’t replace a broken phone, some users say it’s a small win. So if you’ve noticed a new email saying you’ve got a payment as part of the settlement, you can rest assured that it’s not a scam. Well, always double-check the sender and the URLs of any links you click on regardless.