Apple customers who own faulty Powerbeats 2 devices have begun receiving payouts from a class action lawsuit that Apple settled last year, according to multiple MacRumors readers that have started receiving funds.
Powerbeats 2 owners sued Apple after it was found that some of the headphones had a defect that could cause them to stop working and fail to retain charge after "minimal usage." The plaintiffs in the case alleged that Apple misrepresented the battery life of the Powerbeats 2, and that Apple had said they were sweat and water resistant.
Powerbeats 2 were first released in 2015, and at least some of the failures may have been due to moisture exposure. Apple was also accused of failing to replace or repair defective Powerbeats 2 within the one-year warranty period.
The case did not play out in court as Apple agreed to pay $9.75 million last summer to settle the lawsuit. At the time that it agreed to the payout, Apple said that it denied all allegations and was paying the settlement fee to avoid expensive litigation.
The settlement was approved in January of 2021, and now the money obtained from Apple is being split between all Class Members who submitted claim forms after attorneys' fees and related costs were paid. Anyone who had purchased Powerbeats 2 earbuds before August 2, 2020 were eligible to claim a payment from the settlement.
Monday January 26, 2026 1:55 pm PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple today introduced its first two physical products of 2026: a second-generation AirTag and the Black Unity Connection Braided Solo Loop for the Apple Watch.
Read our coverage of each announcement to learn more:Apple Unveils New AirTag With Longer Range, Louder Speaker, and More
Apple Introduces New Black Unity Apple Watch BandBoth the new AirTag and the Black Unity Connection Braided...
Monday January 26, 2026 3:56 pm PST by Juli Clover
Alongside iOS 26.2.1, Apple today released an updated version of iOS 12 for devices that are still running that operating system update, eight years after the software was first released.
iOS 12.5.8 is available for the iPhone 5s and the iPhone 6, meaning Apple is continuing to support these devices for 13 and 12 years after launch, respectively. The iPhone 5s came out in September 2013,...
Thursday January 29, 2026 10:07 am PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple today confirmed to Reuters that it has acquired Q.ai, an Israeli startup that is working on artificial intelligence technology for audio.
Apple paid close to $2 billion for Q.ai, according to sources cited by the Financial Times. That would make this Apple's second-biggest acquisition ever, after it paid $3 billion for the popular headphone and audio brand Beats in 2014.
Q.ai has...
Tuesday January 27, 2026 2:39 pm PST by Joe Rossignol
Update: Apple Creator Studio is now available.
Apple Creator Studio launches this Wednesday, January 28. The all-in-one subscription provides access to the Final Cut Pro, Logic Pro, Pixelmator Pro, Motion, Compressor, and MainStage apps, with U.S. pricing set at $12.99 per month or $129 per year.
A subscription to Apple Creator Studio also unlocks "intelligent features" and "premium...
Monday January 26, 2026 6:07 am PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple today introduced the second-generation AirTag, with key features including longer range for tracking items and a louder speaker.
For those who are not familiar, the AirTag is a small accessory that you can attach to your backpack, keys, or other items. Then, you can track the location of those items in the Find My app on the iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and iCloud.com.
The new...
I'm waiting for a class action lawsuit for the MacBook Air intel 2020 version which is absolutely garbage because of overheating, fan noise, and sluggishness..