Class Action Lawsuit Accuses Apple of Crippling their older Phones

Class Action Lawsuit Accuses Apple of Crippling their older Phones

 

A new Class Action Lawsuit has accused Apple of Crippling their older Phones, like the iPhone 4S with their iOS 9 Update, lowering the mobile phones performance and encouraging the user to update to a newer iPhone.

 

Plaintiff and the Class bring this action against Apple Inc. for deceptive trade practices and false advertising in violation of New York General Business Law § 349 and § 350.

Plaintiff and other owners of the iPhone 4S were harmed when their devices’ software was updated to the newest version, iOS 9. The update significantly slowed down their iPhones and interfered with the normal usage of the device, leaving Plaintiff with a difficult choice: use a slow and buggy device that disrupts everyday life or spend hundreds of dollars to buy a new phone. Apple explicitly represented to the public that iOS 9 is compatible with and supports the iPhone 4S. And Apple failed to warn iPhone 4S owners that the update may or will significantly interfere with the device’s performance

 

The class action lawsuit also accuses apple of intentionally making it difficult to migrate to other platforms, making the only viable upgrade choice a newer Apple product, which is a shady business practice to say the least. Being a former iPhone user who migrated to Andriod I know exactly how tough the move is, especially since Apple has removed the ability to sync your contacts with a Google account and otherwise easily move information to a different phone platform. 

 

       Furthermore, iPhone owners will buy a newer iPhone when faced with the choice because it is familiar and they can easily transfer their information, media, contacts, and apps without a major disruption in usage. There is no learning curve and no delays and trouble that accompany new information input. Thus Apple stands to benefit financially when older iPhones are slowed down and owners are forced to purchase a new phone.

 

    

The plaintiff alleges that Apple’s advertisements which claimed that their iPhone 4S was compatible with iOS 9 did not tell consumers of the possible negative consequences, and did not deliver the “faster performance” that was claimed. 

This is not the first time that accusations like these have been thrown at Apple, but it won’t likely be the last. 

 

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