The latest news in the iPhone 4G saga is the Apple/AT and T class action lawsuit. Soon after selling 1.7 million iPhone 4Gs, consumer complaints about the iPhone “Death Grip” spread like wildfire. After getting Apple’s latest iPhone, reception problems traced to a faulty iPhone antenna design is evidently too much to bear for some. Disgruntled iPhone 4G users have teamed up with lawyers to file four class action lawsuits against the Apple business and wireless provider AT and T in Delaware and California.
The iPhone with its death grip saga
When compared to any product in memory, the Apple iPhone 4G certainly got more wanton customer lust. Unfortunately, the high expectations individuals have for Apple products is backfiring. As outlined by PC World, soon after the iPhone 4G started shipping to customers in late June, the legend of the iPhone 4 “death grip” was born. Complaints erupted on the Internet saying that holding the phone with fingers covering the three black lines on the phone’s edge and the bottom left corner caused its reception to fizzle.
iPhone seems to cover too little, too late for plaintiffs
In response to the iPhone 4 death grip furor, Apple explained that “gripping any phone will result in some attenuation of its antenna performance.” Placing an iPhone cover or “bumper” on the iPhone 4 appears to be able to eliminate death grip issues. These problems will supposedly be better since Apple is making software to fix it. But the iPhone cover and software fix isn’t good enough for a few bitterly disappointed iPhone 4 users and various legal eagles ready to angle for the potentially lucrative angst of 1.7 million iPhoniphiles and counting.
Lawyers want Apple and AT and T money
All the Apple/AT and T class action lawsuits are seeking punitive damages and an injunction against the continued manufacture and sale of the phones until the problem is fixed. It was reported by Macworld that of nine charges leveled in a case filed in Delaware against Apple and AT and T, seven target just AT and T and all nine apply to Apple: general negligence; defect in design, manufacture, and assembly; breach of express warranty; breach of implied warranty for merchantability; breach of implied warranty of fitness for a specific purpose; deceptive trade practices; intentional misrepresentation; negligent misrepresentation; and fraud by concealment.
Many iPhone users just want legal satisfaction
In an additional Apple/AT and T class action lawsuit that was filed in California, Reuters said that the deeply hurt plaintiffs have no other choice because Apple and AT and T have failed to provide customer support and, even worse, customers have been left with only three remedies: ”hold their phones in an awkward and unnatural manner,” pay a 10 percent restocking fee and also like to return their phones, or pay $ 29.95 to buy the iPhone cover that is said to fix the reception problem.
Apple/AT and T class action lawsuits being hawked by law firms
Neither Apple or AT and T has commented on the lawsuits. I’d expect more lawsuits now that it is out. For instance, Gawker posted a link to the Website for law firm Kershaw, Cutter and Ratinoff, which is looking to find some people who are having iPhone 4 reception difficulties to try and get their fair share of this potential legal bonanza.
More info about this topic at these websites:
PC World
pcmag.com/article2/,2817,2365940,00.asp
Macworld
macworld.com/article/152457/2010/07/gavel_iphone4.html
Reuters
reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6603R620100701
