Monday, May 14, 2012

Apple Settles iPhone 4 Antennagate Lawsuit; Will Give Free Bumper or $15 to U.S. iPhone 4 Users

When Apple launched iPhone 4, users reported reception issues when they held the iPhone in a particular way.

The issue which was dubbed Antennagate received so much negative publicity that Apple had to call a special press conference to talk about it and forced them to give away iPhone 4 bumpers or third-party iPhone cases to all iPhone 4 customers.

Apple didn't do a good job of handling the Angtennagate controversy, they first said it didn't exist and that users should avoid gripping it in lower corner or use a case, then said that it was due to a software issue, which was quite bizarre, then they admitted it existed but was a industry wide issue and ended up giving a free iPhone 4 bumper case to all users and then stopped the program after a few months saying it didn't exist anymore.

This led a to number of class action lawsuit from iPhone 4 users. CNET reports that Apple has reached a settlement in a class-action lawsuit, which claimed:
"Apple was misrepresenting and concealing material information in the marketing, advertising, sale, and servicing of its iPhone 4--particularly as it relates to the quality of the mobile phone antenna and reception and related software."

CNET reports that the settlement comes from 18 separate lawsuits that were consolidated into one.
Apple Settles iPhone 4 Antennagate Lawsuit; Will Give Free Bumper or $15 to U.S. iPhone 4 Users
As part of the preliminary approval, Apple has agreed to give all original iPhone 4 users in the U.S. an iPhone 4 Bumper, which are available for $29 or $15 in cash.

If you're in the U.S. and had bought an iPhone 4 then you should be able to get information about the settlement and  how to claim it from www.iPhone4Settlement.com (which doesn't seem to be live currently).

Apple is also supposed to be sending emails to original buyers informing them about the settlement before April 30, 2012 and users will have 120 days to claim their iPhone 4 bumper or $15 in cash.
Though one can debate if the amount that Apple is paying is enough or not, the settlement seems to be fair as all iPhone 4 owners now have the right to claim it.

It remains to be seen how Apple plans to compensate international iPhone 4 users.

[via CNET]

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