Communications

Apple to pay up to $500M in settlement

IPhone owners could get $25 from Apple after the company agreed to pay up to $500 million to settle claims over intentionally slowing down older phones to preserve older batteries. Apple and lawyers representing iPhone consumers agreed to a deal stemming from Apple's 2017 admission that it was slowing down phone performance in older models to avoid unexpected shutdowns related to battery fatigue. That admission led to Apple offering discounted battery replacements at $29, but many people claimed they had already spent hundreds of dollars to buy new phones because Apple didn't reveal the cause of the problem. If they had known they could just buy new batteries, they might not have bought new phones, some consumers in the case said. Apple did not admit wrongdoing. As part of the settlement, the company will pay $310 million to $500 million, including about $93 million to lawyers representing consumers. IPhone users who were named in the class-action lawsuit will get up to $3,500 each. The rest of the settlement money will be distributed to owners of iPhone 6, 6S, 7 and SE models who meet eligibility requirements related to the operating system they had running.

Aviation

Alaskan Airlines ends Iditarod sponsorship

Alaska Airlines confirmed Monday it will drop its sponsorship of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, Alaska's most famous sporting event. The Seattle-based airline, which got its start in Alaska decades ago, said in a statement that the decision to end sponsorship after this year's race was made as the company transitions to a new corporate giving strategy. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, the most vocal critic of the 1,000-mile sled dog race across Alaska, praised the decision. PETA has taken credit for companies such as Wells Fargo and Jack Daniels from dropping financial support of the race.

Travel

Amtrak hires Flynn

Amtrak named a former air-cargo executive as its new president and chief operating officer Monday. William Flynn will take over in mid-April. He will replace Richard Anderson, who has served as CEO since July 2017. Flynn, 66, has served as president and CEO of the global airfreight company Atlas Air Worldwide for the past 13 years.

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