iPhone 4 users receive settlement money for antennagate problems

iPhone 4 owners who filed claims against Apple in a class action lawsuit have begun to receive their money. A $15 settlement cheque in the mail.

The money started arriving this week, according to TUAW. People were apparently so surprised that they didn't even know what the money was for – it has been some time since the claims were placed. Apple reached the settlement in February 2012 and users had the choice of receiving a free Apple bumper case or the $15 rebate.

The class action complaint took together 18 separate lawsuits that accused Apple of “misrepresenting and concealing material information in the marketing, advertising, sale, and servicing of its iPhone 4 — particularly as it relates to the quality of the mobile phone antenna and reception and related software.”

The problems caused such a high profile stir that it was named ‘antennagate'. Apple's fix at the time was to supply a case as it would cover the outer metal band of the iPhone 4, a part which also doubled up as the wireless antenna system. If you held the phone in a specific way, it would interfere with the signal strength.

Kitguru says: Apple said the $15 settlement payouts would apply to a ‘small number' of people. At the time Apple were giving out $29 Bumper cases, so if people waited they ended up with only $15.

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