OnePlus 9 customers can still apply for a share of the money that the company — whose official mantra is “never settle” — has agreed to pay after settling a class action lawsuit filed against the company in 2021. However, they haven't got long to make a claim.
The lawsuit concerns a “secret setting” in the company’s devices, which allegedly throttled the CPU and reduced processing power. The deadline to apply for a share of the settlement is tomorrow (November 8). Claims made after this date will not be considered.
The lawsuit means OnePlus joins the list of tech companies that have been forced into paying back users this year, which includes Facebook, Roblox, Google, and Epic Games.
What Is the OnePlus Class Action Lawsuit?
OnePlus has settled a lawsuit worth $1.1 million, and the deadline to claim your piece of it is November 8th, 2023.
The lawsuit, which was filed in late July 2021 by Bursor & Fisher, P.A, alleges that “the Devices at issue contain a ‘Secret Setting' that restricts — or ‘throttles' — access to the Devices’ processing power and other resources.”
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“Benchmark applications are set to receive full access to the Devices’ resources, so that the Devices will appear to run at full power under test conditions, but real-world applications will receive throttled and reduced performance.” – the filing from OnePlus
OnePlus said at the time that they were simply trying to optimize the processing power of their devices when popular apps were being used after user feedback suggested using these apps was draining the battery power and causing devices to overheat.
However, OnePlus didn’t actually make users aware that it was allegedly doing this, which led to the claims that the throttling device was in fact a “secret setting.”
Even though the deadline to make a claim is this month, a final “fairness hearing” will occur on January 8, 2023.
Who Can Apply for a Share of The Settlement Money?
Unfortunately, not all OnePlus users can apply for the settlement money. You can only claim a share of the $1.1 million that the phone manufacturer has agreed to pay out to customers if you purchase a OnePlus 9 or a OnePlus 9 Pro model in the United States between late March 2021 and late January 2022.
According to Top Class Actions, those who purchased a device during the first few months of this period — March 23, 2021, to July 6, 2021 — will be entitled to $15.50 and a $20.50 voucher towards a OnePlus phone.
Those who bought a OnePlus device between July 7 2021 and Jan 23, 2022, will be entitled to $12 compensation and a $15 voucher for OnePlus.
You will need to provide a copy of a purchase receipt with a date that falls within these time periods when you apply, or an IMEI number.
How to Make a Claim
You can apply for a claim on Kccconnect.com. You will need a claim number and PIN, but you can also apply for one through this site. Payment options include PayPal, Venmo, Zelle, or by check.
Remember, filing for a claim when you do not meet the criteria is against the law in the United States. Falsely claiming you’re entitled to compensation from a class action lawsuit when you aren’t is technically perjury.
