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
Count me in.
My iPhone 12 also came without charger and i find Apple`s claim that they do it because of environment is ludicrous. Please include me in this class action.
My 12 pro max did not come with charger.
I purchased 2 iPhones 14+ last month and they are including the lightening cord but you have to purchase an adapter to be able to use it with a charging block that has USB. I have never had a charging block that connects with a USB-C which is not standard since Apple has started to not include the charging block. If they are going to change the lightening cable they could have provided the charging block power adapter so I could charge my phones. For all the money we pay for these phones we should be getting everything to be able to charge the phone as well. I do have a MAC Air that has the USB-C connector but what if I didn’t have that or I was a new customer to Apple? Apple is just trying to cut their costs at the customers expense.
I too purchased a new iPhone in 2022 but since I have always had iPhones I have many chargers and did not feel the pain. I think Apple should refund the amount people paid for those accessories but I’m not sure there should be punitive damages. They can very easily have an option to include the accessories or give a discount to people that already have them.
Yes I purchased an iPhone 6 months ago.
Didn’t get a charger either
I did not get a wall charger for my new iPhone 13
I bought to apple phones and had the additional cost of 2 charges insane
Add me
I was so annoyed when I bought my phone about a year ago and it didn’t come with a charger.
I purchased an iPhone 12 with no charging cable. Every new iPhone device has a different charging port so you have no choice but to buy a new cable. What a scam to make more money! Don’t they have enough?
Just rape the little guy!
I would like to be included in this class action lawsuit.
Thank you
iPhone devices have had a lightning connection for many years. They have not changed the charging port since 2012.