Based on a recent report published by Reuters, Apple’s iPhone 4 managed to reach a settlement in the antennagate suit that caused much discontent among customers. The antenna performance of the device was not as good as the company declared in the advertisement and 18 customers filed lawsuit against Apple.
Many customers were disappointed to see that the product they bought did not live up to their expectations, but only 18 of them filed lawsuit against the company. The trials were combined into one single process and the judge confirmed that Apple has to compensate its customers for the troubles they have caused.As a consequence, the IT giant will now pay $15 in cash or provide a new bumper case to the U.S. residents who have bought the phone.
The company will also create a website dedicated to the settlement where clients will find out all the details they need to know about the settlement. The website will be available in a few weeks and it will teach customers how to make a claim in order to get the money or the new bumper case.
Once the website will be released the customers will have 120 days to file their claims as the online page will be closed afterwards. In addition, Apple has to send emails to all its original buyers before April 30, 2012 to notify them of the settlement.
Ira Rothken, co-lead counsel representing the class told reporters that the settlement is correct because the money that the company offers is enough to compensate the disillusionment of the customers. Moreover, Rothken believes the company’s decision to let clients choose between a new bumper case and the money was “proportional to the circumstances”.
According to a report provided by Rothken, there are 25 million customers who experienced problems with the antenna of the phone after they bought it.The settlement is valid only for those people who bought an iPhone 4 and refused to get a free case when the company offered them back in 2010. iPhone 4S which was released in October 2011 did not present these problems.