Ever felt like your old iPhone started to mysteriously slow down for no good reason? If so, you’re not alone and you might be owed compensation. The legal claim against Apple – often referred to as “Batterygate” – is gaining momentum in the UK, and things are starting to heat up.
Thousands of people have already registered to be part of this collective legal action, and if you haven’t yet, now is a great time to consider joining the claim. Because millions of iPhone owners in the UK could be entitled to a share of up to £853 million in compensation.
Want to know more? Here’s a quick refresher on what the case is all about, where things stand right now, and why you could be in line for a pay-out.
The heart of the Batterygate claim: What did Apple allegedly do?
This collective claim centres on Apple’s alleged decision to deliberately slow down older iPhones through software updates – without clearly informing users or giving them an option to disable the feature.
The argument goes like this: Apple discovered battery issues in some iPhones. Rather than offering a recall or free battery replacements up front, Apple pushed software updates that managed battery performance by limiting how fast the phone could run – effectively throttling the phone’s performance.
The issue isn’t just what Apple did, it’s how they did it.
The claim alleges Apple failed to adequately inform users of what these updates would do, or why, leaving many in the dark. As a result, millions may have felt pressured into upgrading their devices prematurely – thinking their phones were simply becoming obsolete.
Apple has since introduced more transparency around battery health features, but this claim argues the damage was already done. If the court agrees, the tech giant could be forced to compensate millions of iPhone users in the UK.
Who is behind the Apple iPhone claim?
The claim is being led by seasoned consumer rights campaigner Justin Gutmann, a former Citizens Advice executive. He is acting as the ‘approved representative’, a person approved by the court to bring a claim on behalf of a large group of people. In this case, on behalf of an estimated 23.8 million UK iPhone users.
Without a representative, you would need to bring a legal claim against Apple yourself, which could be time-consuming, expensive, and unrealistic for most people. This collective action means you can be part of the case without having to do the legal work. And if the claim wins, you could still receive compensation.
iPhone battery update lawsuit - where are we now?
In a significant development, the Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) – a specialist court that handles collective actions in the UK – granted a Collective Proceedings Order (CPO) on 23 January 2025. This gave the claim the green light to move forward.
That means the court has agreed there’s a serious issue to examine, and that the claim can now proceed toward a full trial. While legal claims of this scale take time, this decision marks a major milestone in the fight for justice.
Apple continues to deny any wrongdoing, saying its software updates were designed to protect users, not mislead them. But now, it’s up to the courts to decide.
Am I eligible?
If you owned or still own an iPhone 6, 6 Plus, 6s, 6s Plus, SE (1st gen), 7, or 7 Plus, and you were living in the UK at the time, you could be part of the claim. These are the models that were allegedly affected by Apple’s performance-limiting software updates.
It doesn’t matter whether you bought the phone new or second hand, or if it was given to you. If the device was in use in the UK during the relevant period, you could be eligible for compensation.
Why should I join the Apple iPhone claim?
Signing up to the claim costs nothing. It’s risk-free and takes just a couple of minutes. By joining, you’re standing up for your consumer rights and sending a message to big companies that they can’t get away with treating customers unfairly.
The legal team will handle the heavy lifting, your role is simply to add your name to the growing list of consumers demanding justice.
Tens of thousands of people have already signed up – and it’s not too late to join them.
Join the Claim connects consumers with trusted, SRA-regulated law firms. For this claim, we’re not directly involved, but we’ll keep you informed. Where possible, we’ll share links to official claim websites or updates as they become available.
