If You Own an Apple Watch, You Could Win $20—From a Class Action Lawsuit

Swollen batteries isn’t some euphemism for a testicular disorder. It’s exactly what it sounds like, and a whole bunch of people have claimed Apple gave it to them. How scandalous.

“A settlement has been reached with Apple Inc. (“Apple”) in a class action lawsuit alleging that certain First Generation, Series 1, Series 2, or Series 3 Watches (“Covered Watch/Watches”) experienced issues related to battery swell,” reads the website set up to provide information regarding the lawsuit.

“Apple denies that the devices had such issues and denies all allegations of wrongdoing,” it continues, but despite the denial of guilt, Apple has set aside $20 million to get the whole issue out of its face.

too swole

Batteries become swollen when a lithium-ion battery experiences a degradation of the barrier between the positive and negative electrodes. It causes a bump to form where gas has built up inside the case.

If you were looking at the bare battery, it might be visible. In a device such as the Apple Watch that’s made to hide its battery inside a tightly packaged case not meant to be accessed after manufacture, you may not even notice it right away.

Weakened battery performance is the least of worries. Because of the tight tolerances inside an Apple Watch, a swelling battery can press against and damage other delicate components inside the watch, such as the screen. It can even rupture and cause a fire.

Like any class action lawsuit, the payout varies upon how many people apply and are approved as claimants, but Android Authority estimates that the payout will be—drumroll—about $20 per device, up to a maximum of $50.

Yeah, it’s…OK. You could buy a couple of fast food dinners for $20, and if you have multiple affected Apple Watches, you can apply once for each of them. I mean, it comes down to whether your time is worth digging up your original sales receipt or device.

In order to get in on the action, you have to have purchased an affected watch (see “Covered Watches” above) from April 24, 2015, to February 6, 2024, that experienced a swollen battery.

Assuming you satisfy the criteria that make you eligible, you have until April 10, 2025, to apply. Accepting a part in the class action lawsuit means you can’t bring a case against Apple for the same issue on the same devices in the future. It’ll be your one shot.

If you specifically don’t want to settle—say, you want to leave open the option to pursue Apple legally regarding this issue on your own—then you have to go to the website and exclude yourself from the class action suit by February 24, 2025.

“This is the only option that allows you to keep your right to bring any other claim against Apple arising out of or related to the claims in this case,” the instructions read.

Just like nobody wants to hear anybody talk about how swole you got at the gym, Apple doesn’t want to hear any more about that time you said it sold you a swole battery that just maybe could blow up. At least Apple will pay you (a little) to shut up about it.