Apple pays $9.75 million to settle lawsuit over Powerbeats2 charging issues
The devices could stop charging after a short time.
Apple has agreed to pay $9.75 million to settle a class-action lawsuit over charging issues with its Powerbeats2 wireless earphones (via Apple Insider). Launched in 2017, the suit focused on the advertised claims of durability, sweat-resistance and battery life, alleging the earphones had a “design defect” that caused them to stop holding a charge after a short amount of time.
The plaintiffs also accused Apple of not repairing or replacing the devices within the one year warranty period. Apple denied all allegations, saying it’s only settling given the “risks, uncertainties, burden, and expense of continued litigation,” according to the agreement.
Lawyers have begun notifying Powerbeats2 owners of the settlement by email. If that’s you, you’ll have until November 20th, 2020 to submit a claim. After that, the $9.75 million (minus lawyer fees and administrative costs, naturally), will be meted out to the applicants based on a point system. The lawyers estimate that $76 will go to those who can supply a proof of purchase or repair, with around $38 going to those who can’t (the PowerBeats2 price at launch was $200).
