WSJ on Apple iPod Settlement

In case you haven't heard, first, second, and third generation iPod owners have won a settlement from a class action suite against Apple over the battery life of those iPods. There are lots of little details and options, but basically, it all boils down to Apple may owe you $50.

Scott Thurm writes today for the Wall Street Journal (subscription required), noting that "A lawyer for the plaintiffs in the case estimates that the settlement may apply to as many as two million iPods sold before May 31, 2004. That means the settlement, which still needs to be approved by a judge, could cost Apple as much as $100 million." That's a huge hit to Apple, and as a result Apple stock has been declining today.