Apple has settled a lawsuit in Canada over the battery life of its iPod music player by issuing $45 store vouchers.

The class-action suit was filed in June 2005 by Ines Lenzi and Bradley Waddell, who claimed that Apple had misled consumers as to the lifespan of the iPod's rechargeable battery.

The judgment covers first-, second- and third-generation iPods bought before July 2004.

Apple had originally claimed that the iPod battery would provide eight to 10 hours of music play back.

But the claimants maintained that Apple "did not provide the advertised eight to 10 hours of playtime after being recharged" and that performance "dwindled progressively over time".

Without admitting any wrongdoing, Apple has agreed to settle by issuing a $45 store credit to anyone who makes a valid claim for an iPod bought in Canada during the specified time period which has suffered greatly diminished battery life.

The store credit may only be used to make an online order on the Apple Canada Online Consumer Store for Apple-branded goods.