Apple has agreed to pay $22.5 million to settle a class action suit brought by owners of the notoriously scratchy first-generation iPod Nanos. Under the agreement, owners of the scratch magnets will be entitled to either a $25 or $15 cash refund, depending on whether or not their Nano included a carrying case.

The announcement would bring to an end a three-and-a-half year legal battle between the iPod maker and unhappy customers. It all began mere weeks after the nano’s release in September 2005, as early adopters began to express discontent with the players’ susceptibility to scratches and, in some cases, cracks in their LCD displays. Apple acknowledged the cracking in a statement, but said it was a “real but minor issue involving a vendor quality problem” that only affected less than one-tenth of 1% of the total iPod nano units shipped.

In a complaint filed the the following month, owners claimed the device “scratch[ed] excessively during normal usage, rendering the screen … unreadable.” Nano owner Jason Tomczak said even the act of rubbing a paper towel on the face of the nano left “significant scratches.”

The settlement covers all first-generation Nanos, including ones that were free after rebates. For more information including claim forms, visit the class action’s website.

In re iPod nano Cases
Apple to pay $22.5M in suit over scratched iPod nanos [AppleInsider]
(Photo: re-ality)

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