Apple Will Soon Send Payments for $95 Million Refurbished Device Class Action Lawsuit

Apple last year agreed to pay $95 million to settle an AppleCare-related lawsuit that accused the company of violating U.S. laws and regulations by providing customers with refurbished replacement devices instead of new devices when AppleCare repairs were required.

applerefurbishedgoodastwo
Administrators for the case began collecting info from impacted customers back in January, and the settlement amount received final approval in April. With everything now set, Apple is ready to begin sending out payments, and customers who are expecting money are starting to receive emails. One of the emails was shared by MacRumors reader Nathan:

According to our records, you are eligible to receive a payment of $28.90 in the settlement for the matter entitled Maldonado, et al. v. Apple Inc., et al., Case No. 3:16-CV-04067-WHO.

As Settlement Administrator for the matter, we're sending you this courtesy email to inform you that by August 30, 2022, you will receive a payment notification email that contains a link to claim your payment electronically. Once you receive that email, you will have until November 28, 2022 to claim your payment.

Please monitor your email inbox carefully for our next email. Additional details about the matter are available at www.ReplacementDeviceLawsuit.com.

Customers who are eligible for a payment will get an email by August 30, and they must respond to the email by November 28, 2022 to receive their money. The lawsuit applied to customers who purchased an ‌AppleCare‌ Protection Plan or ‌AppleCare‌+ for an iPhone or iPad between July 20, 2012 and September, 30, 2021 and who received a refurbished replacement device.

Apple's repair terms and conditions have always made it clear that the company may use "parts or products that are new or refurbished and equivalent to new in performance and reliability" when repairing or replacing a device, but the lawsuit claimed that refurbished devices are "not equivalent to new in performance and reliability." The lawsuit sought compensation for ‌iPhone‌‌, ‌‌iPad‌‌, and iPod owners who purchased ‌‌AppleCare‌‌ or ‌‌AppleCare‌‌+ coverage and were unhappy with receiving an "inferior" refurbished device instead of a device that works "like new."

Though Apple paid $95 million to settle the lawsuit, it admitted no wrongdoing and denies that refurbished devices are inferior to new devices.

(Thanks, Nathan!)

Popular Stories

iOS 26

When Will Apple Release iOS 26.2?

Monday December 1, 2025 4:37 pm PST by
We're getting closer to the launch of the final major iOS update of the year, with Apple set to release iOS 26.2 in December. We've had three betas so far and are expecting a fourth beta or a release candidate this week, so a launch could follow as soon as next week. Past Launch Dates Apple's past iOS x.2 updates from the last few years have all happened right around the middle of the...
ios 18 to ios 26 upgrade

Apple Pushes iPhone Users Still on iOS 18 to Upgrade to iOS 26

Tuesday December 2, 2025 11:09 am PST by
Apple is encouraging iPhone users who are still running iOS 18 to upgrade to iOS 26 by making the iOS 26 software upgrade option more prominent. Since iOS 26 launched in September, it has been displayed as an optional upgrade at the bottom of the Software Update interface in the Settings app. iOS 18 has been the default operating system option, and users running iOS 18 have seen iOS 18...
maxresdefault

iPhone Fold: Launch, Pricing, and What to Expect From Apple's Foldable

Monday December 1, 2025 3:00 am PST by
Apple is expected to launch a new foldable iPhone next year, based on multiple rumors and credible sources. The long-awaited device has been rumored for years now, but signs increasingly suggest that 2026 could indeed be the year that Apple releases its first foldable device. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Below, we've collated an updated set of key details that ...
iphone 17 cyber

iPhone 17 Demand Is Breaking Apple's Sales Records

Tuesday December 2, 2025 9:44 am PST by
Apple's iPhone 17 lineup is selling well enough that Apple is on track to ship more than 247.4 million total iPhones in 2025, according to a new report from IDC. Total 2025 shipments are forecast to grow 6.1 percent year over year due to iPhone 17 demand and increased sales in China, a major market for Apple. Overall worldwide smartphone shipments across Android and iOS are forecast to...
iOS 26

Apple Seeds iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 Release Candidates to Developers and Public Beta Testers

Wednesday December 3, 2025 10:33 am PST by
Apple today seeded the release candidate versions of upcoming iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 updates to developers and public beta testers, with the software coming two weeks after Apple seeded the third betas. The release candidates represent the final versions of iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 that will be provided to the public if no further bugs are found during this final week of testing....
Touchscreen MacBook Feature

Here Are the Four MacBooks Apple Is Expected to Launch Next Year

Monday December 1, 2025 5:00 am PST by
2026 could be a bumper year for Apple's Mac lineup, with the company expected to announce as many as four separate MacBook launches. Rumors suggest Apple will court both ends of the consumer spectrum, with more affordable options for students and feature-rich premium lines for users that seek the highest specifications from a laptop. Below is a breakdown of what we're expecting over the next ...
Photos App Icon Liquid Glass

John Gruber Shares Scathing Commentary About Apple's Departing Software Design Chief

Thursday December 4, 2025 9:30 am PST by
In a statement shared with Bloomberg on Wednesday, Apple confirmed that its software design chief Alan Dye will be leaving. Apple said Dye will be succeeded by Stephen Lemay, who has been a software designer at the company since 1999. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced that Dye will lead a new creative studio within the company's AR/VR division Reality Labs. On his blog Daring Fireball,...
iphone air camera

iPhone Air's Resale Value Has Dropped Dramatically, Data Shows

Thursday December 4, 2025 5:27 am PST by
The iPhone Air has recorded the steepest early resale value drop of any iPhone model in years, with new data showing that several configurations have lost almost 50% of their value within ten weeks of launch. According to a ten-week analysis published by SellCell, Apple's latest lineup is showing a pronounced split in resale performance between the iPhone 17 models and the iPhone Air....
chatgpt logo

Sam Altman Declares 'Code Red' for ChatGPT, Delays OpenAI Advertising Plans

Tuesday December 2, 2025 3:30 pm PST by
OpenAI is deprioritizing work on advertising as it focuses on improving the quality of ChatGPT, reports The Information. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman declared a "code red" on Monday, and told employees that the company needs to improve ChatGPT so it doesn't fall behind competitors like Google and Anthropic. Altman said that OpenAI needs to work on personalization for each user, image generation,...
Sad Siri Feature

Apple AI Chief John Giannandrea Retiring After Siri Delays

Monday December 1, 2025 2:16 pm PST by
Apple AI chief John Giannandrea is stepping down from his position and retiring in spring 2026, Apple announced today. Giannandrea will serve as an advisor between now and 2026, with former Microsoft AI researcher Amar Subramanya set to take over as vice president of AI. Subramanya will report to Apple engineering chief Craig Federighi, and will lead Apple Foundation Models, ML research, and ...

Top Rated Comments

Jerry Fritschle Avatar
43 months ago
As someone who has purchased refurbs on purpose, I'm ambivalent. What is clear, though, is that the lawyers, as always, are the winners here.
Score: 36 Votes (Like | Disagree)
HMI Avatar
43 months ago
Great! I’ll use my $28.90 as a down payment on my next AppleCare+ Plan.

The future has never been brighter!
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
antiprotest Avatar
43 months ago
Where my $.93 at?
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
icanhazmac Avatar
43 months ago

Apple's repair terms and conditions have always made it clear that the company may use "parts or products that are new or refurbished and equivalent to new in performance and reliability"
Then this is crap, more lawyer BS.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
sorgo † Avatar
43 months ago
Almost $30?!?! ???
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
icerabbit Avatar
43 months ago
When refurbished products come with a NEW battery and/or case - where applicable - how are they inferior?
And it has been my understanding this was always part of the care agreement.

How was this not thrown out?
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)