Apple Class Action Lawsuit Alleges MacBook Pro Display Issue

A California man has filed a class action lawsuit accusing Apple of concealing a known issue that causes the screen on some MacBook Pro laptops to display dark spots.

Plaintiff Justin Ocampo says he relied on Apple’s marketing of the MacBook Pro to accurately represent the product and would not have purchased the laptop had he known about an issue with the cables that caused dark spots to appear on the screen.

Apple released a new MacBook Pro model in October 2016 that included a touch bar feature, according to the class action lawsuit.

The Apple MacBook touch bar is a small strip at the top of the keyboard that replaces certain keyboard functions, the complaint says.

Apple touted the new model as the “thinnest and lightest” ever, with a brighter display that had a better contrast ratio and was capable of displaying more colors, Ocampo says.

However, Ocampo claims, Apple’s representations about the display were false. 

Due to the new compact design, the Apple MacBook touch bar is reportedly connected to the main display by thin, flexible ribbon cables.

The cables, which wrap over the Apple MacBook touch bar controller board, are defective and wear out over time as the laptop is opened and closed, Ocampo maintains. As a result, the backlight on the laptop’s display eventually shows dark spots or stops working completely.

The dark spots on the display show up in a pattern that resembles the lights commonly seen on a theater stage, according to Apple Insider.

Ocampo claims the repair needed to correct the issue is not a simple one.

The Apple MacBook class action lawsuit claims that because the flex cables connected to the Apple MacBook touch bar are part of the display, they cannot simply be replaced. The entire display has to be replaced, increasing the cost of the repair.

Ocampo says Apple has publicly acknowledged the model he purchased is prone to issues with its display, and went so far as to issue a notice on the company website announcing the 13-inch MacBook Pro Display Backlight Service Program and acknowledging the backlight issues.

He also claims the company was aware the flex cable connected to the Apple MacBook touch bar was defective because consumers had posted complaints on Apple’s website and submitted repair tickets via the Genius Bar.

Ocampo says he purchased a 13-inch MacBook Pro for $1,376.38 in December 2016 at a Best Buy in San Jose, Calif. It came with a one-year warranty.

The plaintiff bought the laptop at a discount because it had been previously opened; the regular retail price was $1,799.99

He had seen Apple’s launch event at which the new model was introduced, according to the class action lawsuit. He also looked at the product on Apple’s website to learn more about the features, one of which was a new display.

Between October and December 2018, the backlight on Ocampo’s MacBook Pro began to fail, the complaint says. Dark spots showed up at the bottom of the display, interfering with the images on the screen. The issue occurred more consistently throughout the next two weeks.

Around December 2018 or January 2019, the screen failed completely, turning black when the monitor was open more than about 30 degrees, rendering it useless, the class action lawsuit claims.

Ocampo says he was told by an Apple store representative in January 2019 that he’d need to ship it to an offsite repair center to have the screen replaced.

Apple told Ocampo the repair would cost $475 because the MacBook was no longer under warranty, the complaint states. Ocampo was unable to afford the repair cost and did not submit the laptop for repair at that time.

Instead, the plaintiff says he was forced to connect the MacBook Pro to an external display, meaning he was unable to use it as a portable computer and was unable to take it to class with him, according to the class action lawsuit.

On May 22, 2019, after learning about Apple’s Backlight Service Program, Ocampo says he submitted his MacBook for a free repair and received it about two or three days later. During that time, he was without a laptop, and says Apple did not offer a loaner.

Ocampo relied on Apple’s “false and misleading” marketing campaign that represented the MacBook Pro as having “a revolutionary design and the best display screen,” the Apple class action lawsuit states. 

The plaintiff alleges violations of the California Consumer Legal Remedies Act, the California False Advertising Law, the Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act, the California Unfair Competition Law, the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, the consumer fraud statutes of all 50 states and the District of Columbia, and accuses Apple of breach of express warranty, breach of implied warranty of merchantability, fraudulent concealment and unjust enrichment.

The plaintiff seeks a declaration that Apple’s conduct violates the above statutes and an order requiring the company to identify all defective MacBook Pro laptops, identify them on its website and ensure they are “removed from the stream of commerce.”

In addition, the plaintiff seeks actual, treble, punitive and statutory damages; restitution or disgorgement; pre- and post-judgment interest; reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs; and any other relief deemed proper by the Court.

He also demands a jury trial.

Have you experienced similar issues with your Apple MacBook laptop? Tell us about it in the comments.

The plaintiff is represented by Stanley D. Saltzman and Tatiana G. Avakian of Marlin and Saltzman LLP.

The Apple MacBook Laptop Class Action Lawsuit is Justin Ocampo, et al. v. Apple Inc., et al., Case No. 5:20-cv-05857, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, San Jose Division.

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