A consumer says that Apple has used software updates, including iOS 14.5, 14.5.1, and 14.6, to damage iPhone models 11, 12, 12 Pro, and 12 Pro Max in a class action lawsuit filed Tuesday.
Lead plaintiff Andrew Crittenden seeks to represent iPhone owners nationwide in a class action lawsuit filed in California federal court. Crittenden says that updates to certain iPhones have damaged their processing speeds and causes their batteries to drain faster. He accuses Apple of releasing the updates, knowing they will cause damage.
“This case is about knowing and intentional damage inflicted by Apple through software updates, including (but not limited to) to iPhone models 11, iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro, and iPhone 12 Pro Max,” states the class action lawsuit.
Crittenden, a California resident, says he owns an Apple iPhone Pro Max. He says that he updated his mobile operating system, called “iOS,” as soon as the software became available. Crittenden says that Apple encourages users to update their iPhones to the latest operating system to help keep their devices secure; however, he says that after he updated his iPhone, he experienced slower performance and poor battery life.
Crittenden says that he is not alone and that within days of the Apple iPhone update being released, consumers complained of degraded performance and battery problems.
The class action lawsuit alleges that Apple knows the iOS update will result in problems for current iPhone users. In fact, the company relies on these problems, called “throttling,” in order to encourage consumers to purchase new and ever-more expensive iPhones.
The plaintiff accuses the tech giant of failing to acknowledge the problem even in the face of thousands of complaints by iPhone users who say that updates damaged their smartphones. Crittenden claims that it is in Apple’s own interest not to inform users that their devices will suffer if they download recommended updates.
Instead, claims the class action lawsuit, Apple lets users believe that poor battery life and failing performance is the natural result of an aging iPhone.
“Moreover, degrading device performance ahead of product launches may also allow Apple to drum up demand for faster phones with longer battery life. New iPhone models are typically launched every fall,” points out the complaint.
Apple has been accused of using updates to throttle older iPhones before. Several years ago, the company faced a number of throttling class action lawsuits after its iOS 11 update allegedly damaged the performance of smartphones and harmed battery life.
Crittenden wants to represent a nationwide Class of consumers who experienced problems with their iPhone 8 through the newest model after downloading iOS 14.5, iOS 14.5.1, or iOS 14.6. He accuses Apple of violating federal computer fraud laws, California consumer protection laws, and meddling with consumers’ iPhones.
The class action lawsuit wants Apple to pay damages, court, and attorney fees, as well as a court order stopping the company from releasing future harmful iOS updates.
Have you had trouble with your Apple iPhone update? We want to hear from you! Tell us about your experience in the comment section below!
The plaintiff is represented by Alex R. Straus of Milberg Coleman Bryson Phillips Grossman, PLLC.
The Apple iPhone Update Class Action Lawsuit is Crittenden v. Apple, Inc., Case No. 5:21-cv-04322 in the U.S. District Court Northern District of California San Jose Division.
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1,336 thoughts onApple Accused of Intentionally Damaging iPhones with Update in Class Action Lawsuit
One morning my iPhone 7 suddenly would not work. It displayed a message that I had to download updates in order to use it. I contacted Apple who confirmed this. So I downloaded the updates. My iPhone was then updated unusable. After a lot of denying by Apple over the course of many days, a support person confirmed that the updates Apple forced me to install screwed up my phone as the updates were not intended fir my phone. I had to make several trips to the Apple store DURING THE HEIGHT OF THE PANDEMIC which meant appointments were required and hard to get. At my first appointment, the Apple technician tried to claim that the problem was not the responsibility of Apple and I would have to pay a few hundred dollars to get them to fix my phone! At which time I pitched a fit in front of everybody and she went back behind the wall and came back and said OK as a courtesy they would fix my phone but they would have to completely wipe it in order to do so. They gave me a loaner phone which I discovered when I got home that it would not work and I had to make another appointment and go back to get a second loaner phone! I’ll stop at this point because you get the picture of what all I went through because Apple forced me to make updates which they later admitted would not work on my iPhone 7 and were the cause of my iPhone 7 becoming unusable
I definitely need to be added to this class action lawsuit!!
The exact same thing happened to my I phone 7.. A lot of the complaints on here are also my complaints! I hope Crittenden will clean their clocks! The consumer is FORCED into buying a newer phone! But. as I was told by one of their support agents, ; “No one is making you have a phone! Just do without”! Yep, no support for older phones!
My 6s plus & my XR mess up go very slow when we download updates
Updates messed up my daughter iPhone 8 Plus too
Add me please
I would like to be added I have a iPhone 12 once I updated my phone it started having audio failure I can not hear the other person when they call me and they can’t hear me unless I place the call on speaker phone and Face ID failure battery drains very fast and slow performance
Apple are in for alit of trouble this time around and to be honest this battery drain is getting more and more worse by every single update and it’s pissing me right tf of right now, either apple comes with an update to fix these issues or they pay back full amount to iphone users that have been affected. Absolutely disappointing and poor customer service, I demand a replacement battery or replacement iPhone all together, they have no respect for their customers and I’m dissatisfied
The ios 14.7.1 update was pushed on my iphone X yesterday and now my phone is completely bricked. I was receiving a boot loop error (apple logo flashing) and now my phone cannot be restored/updated or even reset to factory settings due to error code 4013. This should not be happening on $1200+ devices.
PLEASE INCLUDE ME IN THIS CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT!!
Please add me as my I phone XR has lost battery life since updating. It worked well before.
T-Mobile told me I had $5000 credit because of my 23 years being with them. I went back to the store and got 2 charges. It was great no recipe just walk out with them. I used the charge and had problems with my 10rs first we lost Face ID than the battery wouldn’t take any charge. Now T mobile wants to give me a $545 credit for a new phone. T mobile also was charging me full retail on charges that was told was free. I complained to T mobile they guy was fired from store mean while I’m still with out a phone. The sharper always would only charge phone hall way.
I installed 14.7 on my IPhone 11 when it came out and my Battery was at 96% then when I installed 14.7.1 it went down to 90% then two days later I had an appointment with Apple and it was at 89% and they wanted me to pay for new battery and couldn’t help because I was out of Warranty and I ended up spending $500 plus my iPhone 11 for a new IPhone 12 and I was cursing and yelling at Apple because they said they couldn’t do anything because they said everything looked fine,I don’t think it’s fair that Apple keeps getting sued for doing the same thing and getting away with it,And all we end up getting is $25 when we end up spending $1000 on new phones same thing happened with my IPhone 7plus had to buy New IPhone SE and it was doing the same thing had to reset my phone SMH I’m mad Apple needs to pay
I just installed the 14.7 update on my iPhone 7 Plus and the updated rendered the phone useless. The phone refuses to start , no recovery method works and even AppleCare says they can’t do anything to solve the issue.
ADDED ME PLEASE