If you have Battery-related performance issues with an older iPhone—and you were involved in a class-action lawsuit against Apple six years ago—you could soon be getting paid for your trouble. .
According to a statement released by the law office involved in the case against Apple, the tech giant will soon have to pay up to $500 million to customers affected by its throttling of iPhones with older versions. battery. The so-called Batterygate scandal affects people who use iPhones in the 6, 6S, and 7 families, as well as the original SE model, and stems from complaints from users that Apple intended to slow down devices after they install software updates. Apple has not admitted any wrongdoing, instead asserting that its practice of deliberately slowing down its phones is not a technique to get people to buy a new device but a safety measure to prevent phones from shutting down when the battery is too low. .
The checks will be given to the nearly 3 million people who filed claims for the lawsuit, which will come to somewhere between $65 and $90 per person. It’s too late to file a claim now—the deadline to join the lawsuit passed in October 2020.
Here’s some more news about things on your phone.
Premium Prime
Bad music streaming news for anyone not on Spotify or Apple Music: Amazon’s music streaming service is getting more expensive.
The price increase from $9 to $10 was revealed on an FAQ page on Amazon’s Music site, found by The Hollywood Reporter. The increase is small and applies to Amazon Prime members with Unlimited Music plans and family plans. But it’s part of a trend of streaming services putting the squeeze on their customers. The cost of a Spotify Premium subscription went up by a penny last month after 12 years without an increase. Hulu and Disney+ are getting more expensive later this year. Netflix has restricted password sharing and introduced an ad-supported payment tier. And don’t forget that HBO Max has removed a lot of content from its platform. Amazon Music doesn’t seem to be giving up on any of its songs – or password-sharing restrictions – but it’s clear that Amazon’s bosses want to squeeze a little more pressure on the platform.
Mute TikTok
A recent Reuters poll showed that almost half of Americans approve of the US ban on the social media app TikTok. (Disclosure: Yes, WIRED is on TikTok.)
US lawmakers have been talking about tanking TikTok for years now, citing concerns that its Chinese parent company ByteDance could share user data on Americans with the Chinese government or that the app may serve as a software backdoor for China’s spyware. Experts and members of Congress have framed the ban on TikTok as a push to protect privacy, although the issue is more fueled by international tensions between the US and China. (See the I thought you had to leave “Are you sure about that?” clips.)
The process of actually banning the app from US soil can be laborious and controversial. Montana will test it in 2024, when the recently passed TikTok ban goes into effect. Enforcing a ban is almost impossible, as users can circumvent the rules by using a VPN to appear to be in another location or by simply downloading the app while they are traveling in another state.
Stay Cool
The heat is getting worse here on planet Earth. Heat waves will intensify, oceans will warm, and wildfires will get worse. And all the while, humans—and all living things on the planet—are paying the price. Human influence is undeniably changing the world’s weather, and as we run into a climate emergency, it will grow hotter and more unstable.
This week on the Gadget Lab podcast, WIRED’s resident doomsday reporter, Matt Simon, joins the show to talk about extreme heat, why it keeps getting hotter, and how we can adapt.
