Apple iPhone charger class action lawsuit overview:
- Who: Elizabeth Steines filed a class action lawsuit against Apple Inc.
- Why: Steines claims Apple misleads consumers by not including a charger with the sale of a new iPhone device.
- Where: The class action lawsuit was filed in Illinois federal court.
Apple misleads consumers by not including a charger with the purchase of a new iPhone, a new class action lawsuit alleges.
Plaintiff Elizabeth Steines claims Apple began selling iPhones without the charger last year. Apple’s failure to include a charger with a new iPhone sale is not adequately disclosed to consumers, who are left unaware they purchased “an incomplete Product, devoid of essential functionality,” according to the Apple class action.
Apple only discloses in small print on the back of the iPhone product’s box that the iPhone Lighting Cable, power adapter and headphones are sold separately, the Apple class action states.
Steines argues that, by selling the iPhone without a charger, the product is “not adequate for its intended use, which was to function as a phone and mini-computer, because it requires power or energy to operate.”
Steines claims further that consumers who buy a new iPhone and don’t already own a charger are forced to spend more money to purchase one, ultimately increasing the price of the product, according to the lawsuit.
“When Defendant removed the charger, not only was the price of the Product not correspondingly reduced by the amount of the power adapter, the price increased, unrelated to other added functionality which could justify this increase,” the Apple class action states.
Apple claims environment as reason to not include iPhone charger with purchase
Apple claims its decision not to include a charger with an iPhone purchase is environmental, according to the Apple class action.
Steines argues, however, that Apple “could have taken other measures to promote environmental sustainability” instead of allegedly “rendering the Product non-functional unless an additional purchase was made.”
Apple is accused of unjust enrichment, fraud, negligent misrepresentation and breach of contract, as well as violating the Magnuson Moss Warranty Act, several state consumer fraud acts and the Illinois Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act.
Steines demands a jury trial and requests declaratory and injunctive relief along with an award of monetary, statutory and/or punitive damages for herself and all class members.
She wants to represent an Illinois class and multistate consumer fraud class of individuals who have purchased a new iPhone during the statute of limitations for each alleged cause of action.
Consumers filed a separate class action lawsuit against Apple earlier this month, arguing the company ignored privacy advocates by releasing AirTag devices that can be used by stalkers and abusers to track their victims.
Have you purchased a new iPhone from Apple that did not come with a charger? Let us know in the comments!
The plaintiff is represented by Spencer Sheehan of Sheehan & Associates, P.C.
The Apple iPhone charger class action lawsuit is Steines, et al. v. Apple Inc., Case No. 3:22-cv-03099, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois.
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1,563 thoughts onApple class action claims new iPhones don’t come with chargers
I bought 3 iPhones n it did not come with chargers I was pissed off
I bought my iPhone 12 in December 2020. This phone costs about $1,200 or more and yet more charger. I came home and realized no charger so I had to go buy one. But of course, Apples USB-C cord and charger box are pretty costly. So I have to buy the apple USB-C and had to buy a off brand charger box cause I wasn’t about to spend another $50. Very upset that apple doesn’t even include their chargers
I bought an IPhone 12 from metro store back in 2020 my phone did not come with a wall piece and the cord had been changed to lightning cable to Type C cable which no one had used before, instead of lightning to usb therefore I had to go out and spend another $35 on a lightning charger box.
I purchased one a few months ago and at the rate that the plugs and cables die or get lost having extra cables is a necessity. Especially when you have to pay a premium to buy from Apple. And with the increase if price of the iPhone it feels like a cash grab. In fact they never supplied good charges in the box just the bare minimum.
I purchased one a few months ago and at the rate that the plugs and cables die or get lost having extra cables is a necessity. Especially when you have to pay a premium to buy from Apple. And with the increase if price of the iPhone it feels like a cash grab. In fact they never supplied good charges in the box just the bare minimum.
Yes! I bought one in April 2022! They didn’t mention that to me in the store!!! And when I got home I realized and was so upset!!!!!
My husband and I both got new iPhones in Feb 2022 and had to buy separate chargers.
I have bought 6 phone with out charger heads, my and my husband have each gotten 2 since and 2 of my kids got phones and they don’t have charger heads so we now share chargers because I refuse to give Apple anymore money to buy the head of the charger, when even include the cord with out a way to plug it in to anything?
I bought my first IPhone in 2022. I’ve been paying it off and only realized my bill was higher than usual because the charger is considered a separate item that I’m still paying off!!
Same here, my husband bought a new iPhone last year and they made us pay $20 for it. I made him return it after I realized that it will work with any old charger. But Apple is trash for make us do that.