If you were an early adopter of the Apple Watch, you might be eligible for cash compensation. Apple has agreed to settle a class-action lawsuit filed five years ago. This lawsuit covers the first-generation Apple Watch, as well as the Series 1, Series 2, and Series 3 models, according to CNET. The lawsuit was initially filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California and claimed that these early Apple Watches had batteries that swelled over time, which could potentially damage other essential components.
Apple will compensate affected customers between $20 and $50 for the settlement. The exact amount will depend on the number of claims submitted. To be eligible, you must have owned an affected Apple Watch and contacted Apple customer service about the issue between April 24, 2015, and February 6, 2024.
The Apple Watch Series 3 launched in 2017 but was not discontinued until 2022, making it the longest-running Apple Watch model in the product’s history. Eligible customers will receive an email or letter from Apple. They have until April 10 to confirm their claim through the WatchSettlement.com website.
By filing a claim and accepting a settlement payment, individuals waive their rights to pursue any further legal action against Apple regarding the battery issue. Apple has not revealed how many individuals qualify for a discount. If every eligible person received the maximum payout of $50, it would suggest that 400,000 individuals have reached out to Apple about the issue. However, this number is likely much lower, as attorney fees are probably included in the reported $20 million total.
It is common for Apple and other companies to settle class action lawsuits without admitting any wrongdoing. While Apple did not formally acknowledge the early Apple Watch batteries swelled and caused problems, it did implement changes to the battery design, starting with the Series 4 model. Since then, Apple has released six additional versions of the Apple Watch, not including two Apple Watch SE and the Apple Watch Ultra models. The Apple Watch Series 10 is the current model.
The OnePlus Buds Clip are a new pair of open-ear earbuds built around a simple convenience. They join Sony’s LinkBuds Clip in the growing ear-cuff category, but either OnePlus bud can go on either ear.
Sensors recognize how the earbuds are being worn and route the audio channels accordingly. There’s no label to check before putting them on, and the feature also works when only one bud is used.
We buy fitness bands and activity trackers to keep tabs on our exercise, but it is easy to forget to start tracking or switch modes when moving between different activities. For Fitbit and Pixel Watch users, that could soon become a lot less annoying, as Google is rolling out a major upgrade to automatic activity tracking that can recognize more than 100 types of exercise, up from just 10 before.
Google first showed off the improved tracking earlier this month alongside the Fitbit Edge. It is now coming to Fitbit Air and the Pixel Watch 3, 4, and 5, and Google claims the added context behind the system makes workout detection nearly twice as accurate while cutting missed activities by more than half. Fitbit Edge will support it too.