Dozens of consumers have filed an iPhone class action lawsuit after Apple admitted to slowing old phones. Thousands of others who have an older iPhone that was purposely slowed down could be eligible to participate in an iPhone class action lawsuit.
In December 2017, following the revelation that older iPhones were running slower after the installation of new operating system updates, Apple admitted to slowing down older phones. The company says the slowdown was done on purpose, in an effort to prevent the phones from shutting down without warning.
Consumers have already taken steps to file an iPhone class action lawsuit, alleging Apple slows older phones to convince iPhone owners that they need to purchase a new model to again have a phone capable of optimal performance.
In fast response, Apple has issued statements indicating that the purchase of a new battery will allow the older iPhones to increase speed and performance. Many owners allege they were not aware that the slowdown could be averted simply by replacing the ageing battery.
Apple issued an open letter to iPhone owners, apologizing for the slower functionality and the company’s lack of transparency about the software update.
According to Apple’s explanation, “[a]bout a year ago in iOS 10.2.1, we delivered a software update that improves power management during peak workloads to avoid unexpected shutdowns on iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, and iPhone SE.
“With the update, iOS dynamically manages the maximum performance of some system components when needed to prevent a shutdown. While these changes may go unnoticed, in some cases users may experience longer launch times for apps and other reductions in performance.”
While replacing the battery sounds simple, it’s not. Consumers can’t replace the battery themselves – the iPhone must be taken to an Apple dealer for battery replacement or mailed to Apple for battery replacement.
Few consumers wish to mail in their phones, leaving themselves disconnected from the electronic world and from what is most likely their only telephone.
Apple battery replacements normally start at $79, but in response to the outrage over the phones slowing, the company has offered to replace the batteries in affected iPhones for $29 each.
Reasons for iPhone Class Action Lawsuit
Before a consumer installs an iPhone software update, the consumer must click to agree to 17 pages of Apple legalese.
Inside that contract, Apple does not guarantee that installation of the update won’t affect the availability of apps and services. The legal jargon doesn’t promise that the phone will continue to operate without errors. However, the legal small print allegedly does not indicate that Apple will purposefully slow older phones to cater to older batteries.
Some consumers contend that they would not have spent nearly $1,000 to buy a new iPhone if they knew they could have restored their older phone’s speed simply by replacing the battery.
If you are an iPhone customer with one of the phones affected by the recent software update, you could be eligible to participate in an iPhone class action lawsuit investigation.
Join a Free Apple iPhone Throttling Class Action Lawsuit Investigation
If you owned an iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone SE, iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus that performed slower after an iOS update or would unexpectedly shut down for seemingly no reason, you may qualify to file or join an iPhone class action lawsuit.
ATTORNEY ADVERTISING
Top Class Actions is a Proud Member of the American Bar Association
LEGAL INFORMATION IS NOT LEGAL ADVICE
Top Class Actions Legal Statement
©2008 – 2026 Top Class Actions® LLC
Various Trademarks held by their respective owners
This website is not intended for viewing or usage by European Union citizens.
Suing for unpaid wages in California: Recover unpaid overtime, back pay and more
April 2, 2026 | Legal News
5 thoughts onConsumers Filing iPhone Class Action Lawsuit over Slowed Phones
I want to join the class action lawsuit against Apple. I have an iPhone 7 which I purchased a year ago and had continual problems from the start. I went back-and-forth one week after the phone. I troubleshooted on the phone over 20 hours, I went to two different stores demanding my phone be replaced including the fact that the speaker never worked no one can hear me!! They kept telling me it was not my phone.. must be software issue and would not replace the phone that I had to just restart it. That didn’t work. The issues continued and they issued me $100 gift card for my trouble but the issue still continued and I don’t have the time to keep troubleshooting and going to a store and I have my own business so this has caused extreme problems and stress as well as not receiving texts and vice versa. I called them to schedule an appointment to replace the battery which there was a wait and told them NOONE should pay anything for a battery versus them making it look like we got a deal with $29!!
How do we find out about joining the class action; I have an iPhone 6S and it has slowed down. I don’t feel I should have to spend ANY money to get a new battery, and I too do not want to send my phone away or pay a tech to install a new battery.
The case is still moving through the courts and has not yet reached a settlement. Claim forms are usually not made available to consumers until after a court approved settlement is reached. We recommend you sign up for a free account at TopClassActions.com and follow the case. We will update the article with any major case developments or settlement news! Setting up a free account with Top Class Actions will allow you to receive instant updates on ANY article that you ‘Follow’ on our website. A link to creating an account may be found here: https://topclassactions.com/signup/. You can then ‘Follow’ the article above, and get notified immediately when we post updates!