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14 ¦ NOVEMBER 23, 2020 NEWS

‘Don’t Deceive Customers’: Apple to Pay
$113M to Settle IPhone Throttling Claims

By Robert Storace

The District of Columbia and 33 states—in-
cluding Connecticut, California, Texas and
Florida—announced Wednesday that Apple
Inc. has agreed to a $113 million settlement to re-
solve allegations of misrepresentations over iPhone
throttling.
The term throttling refers to the intentional re-
duction in systemwide performance to prevent the
automatic shutdown of phones with aging batter-
ies. The attorneys general alleged the tech giant took
these steps to get users to purchase new devices.
California Attorney General Xavier Becerra said
the settlement stemmed from allegations that Apple
iPhone 11, and iPhone 11 Pro. IPhone 11, and

made deliberate misrepresentations about iPhone iPhone 11 Pro. Photo: Hadrian/Shutterstock.com

batteries and software updates “that throttled pro- “Apple withheld information about their batter-
cessing performance in order to manage insufficient ies that slowed down iPhone performance, all while
battery power in its phones.” passing it off as an update. This type of behavior
The agreement comes about eight and a half hurts the pockets of consumers and limits their
months after the company agreed to a $500 million ability to make informed purchases,” Becerra said in
settlement in consumer restitution. iPhone custom- a statement.
ers, as class members, are eligible Florida Attorney General Ash-
for $25 payments under the settle- ley Moody said in a statement:
ment under that settlement. “Countless Floridians depend on
Now, the money from the new Thirty-four attorneys their iPhones daily for necessary
nine-figure settlement money will professional and personal commu-
go to the attorneys generals. It will general—including in nication and pay significant fees
cover reimbursement of attorney California, Connecticut, for this service. It is essential that
fees and other investigative costs, Florida and Texas—signed a widespread and trusted service
distribution or application of con- off Wednesday on a $113M provider, such as Apple, provide
sumer-protection enforcement settlement agreement accurate and reliable information
funds, consumer education and about performance issues and via-
local consumer aid, among other with Apple Inc., to ble options if service is disrupted.”
expenses. resolve iPhone throttling
And Connecticut Attorney
allegations.

California, where Apple Inc. is General William Tong said in
headquartered, will receive $24.6 a statement: “Apple failed Con-
million, the most of any state, in- sumer Protection Law 101: Don’t
volved in the settlement. Texas will receive $7.6 deceive your customers. ... Now, they will pay $113
million, Connecticut $1.8 million, and Florida about million to states to address egregious violations of
$5.1 million. our consumer protection laws. This settlement also

CONNECTICUT
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