04:34 PM EDT, 10/28/2024 (MT Newswires) -- Apple ( AAPL ) and consumer plaintiffs have won preliminary approval in federal court on Friday of a proposed $20 million agreement settling a class-action lawsuit brought by the buyers of Apple Watches who alleged they were put at risk of injury due to design flaws in early versions of the smartwatch, according to a court document.

US District Judge Haywood Gilliam Jr. in Oakland, California, issued a preliminary order approving the proposed settlement providing plaintiffs with at least $20 for each First Generation or SE Series watch they purchased that allegedly contained "an undisclosed and unreasonably dangerous safety hazard," according to the court document.

The plaintiffs filed suit in December 2021 arguing Apple ( AAPL ) failed to provide sufficient space for the watch batteries despite knowing they could suddenly swell in size and exposing them to possible injury from scattered screens on the devices.

Gilliam's order directed the two sides to meet this week to determine the timing of the proposed payments to the plaintiffs while also providing any opponents to the deal with time to come forward with their objections.

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