Apple Class Action Says iPhones Contain Audio Defect

Customers claim that the audio integrated circuit in the Apple iPhone 7 or 7 Plus is defective, making the phone partly unusable.

The iPhone 7 audio defect class action lawsuit was filed by Brianna Castelli, Karen Lyvers, and Matthew White against Apple Inc.

The three plaintiffs argue that Apple should have been or was aware of the defect but continued to sell the phones to consumers, misrepresenting them to be free of defects.

The Apple iPhone class action states that Apple refuses to repair the iPhones without charging customers for the repairs when the defect manifests.

Castelli and others argue that they were financially injured by Apple’s conduct because had they known the phones possessed this defect, they would not have purchased the phones or would not have paid as much as they had for them.

The plaintiffs state that the audio component of the phone is an essential function, and that the defect prevents them from using their phones fully.

The Apple class action argues that many consumers suffered similar injuries. The plaintiffs claim that iPhone owners were injured additionally because they were forced to pay for repairs to attempt to address the defects in their phones that were caused not by them, but by Apple.

The Apple iPhone 7 class action lawsuit says that many consumers communicated with Apple’s employees and agents to request that Apple address the defect at no cost to consumers. Allegedly, Apple failed and/or refused to do so.

In her case, Castelli says that when she purchased her iPhone 7 from an Apple Store retailer in Illinois, the phone came with an express warranty.

She says that around four days after she purchased the phone, she began experiencing difficulties with the audio functionality with the phone. Allegedly, people with whom she spoke on the phone were unable to hear her during phone conversations. She claims that the phone’s speaker then later “greyed out” and became inoperable.

Castelli says that since then, she “has not been able to receive or make calls on the phone, her voice memo application does not function, and the phone is unable to receive voice commands for its Siri program.” Allegedly, these problems are common to the audio defect.

The Apple iPhone class action claims Castelli contacted Apple Support about the problem shortly after experiencing difficulties. Castelli says she was told that her phone appeared to be in good working order, but she should take it to an Apple store. She also says that she was told that her phone was now outside of the warranty period.

In the case of Lyvers, when she experienced similar problems to those experienced by Castelli, she was allegedly told that the audio problems were caused by her cellular provider, AT&T, and not by Apple, which she argues was incorrect.

Castelli, Lyvers, and White are represented by Gregory F. Coleman, Rachel Soffin, Adam A. Edwards, and William A. Ladnier of Greg Coleman Law; Hassan A. Zavareei, Andrea R. Gold, and Annick Persinger of Tycko & Zavareei LLP, and by Nick Suciu III of Barbat Mansour & Suciu PLLC.

The Apple iPhone 7 Audio Defect Class Action Lawsuit is Brianna Castelli, et al. v. Apple Inc., Case No. 1:19-cv-03026, in the U.S. Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division.

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