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
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I purchased the phone for my daughter as a graduation gift, and didn’t know that it didn’t come with a charger and that the old charger wasn’t the same for the new iPhone.
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My last two iPhone upgrades did not come with chargers (when I brought the iPhone X and upgraded to the iPhone 14 Pro) I believe at the first one, they were changing the USB cables which meant that the older chargers would not charge the iPhones as fast which makes the charger plug-in units obsolete plus all the newer models forward are programmed to be wirelessly charged. I did have to upgrade my charger and USB cables plus buy a wireless charge unit. My peeve is that Apple didn’t start offering its own brand of charger, cables, and/or wireless charger until after the switchover in the cables leaving the charging parts as a separate accessory if you haven’t already upgraded your charger needs. At present my charger and cables will suffice for a while until they upgrade how the iPhone charge process works. I don’t like the wireless charge process because the iPhone doesn’t notify you when or if you have achieved a full charge like it does when plugged into a charger plugged into an outlet. If I hadn’t followed iPhone Insider for information, I would have not realized that charging the iPhone process has changed and been upgraded. They used to not accept your chargers and cables when returning your phone but now if you return them along with the phone you get credit which helps with the purchase of upgraded charging accessories.
If there is a class action, I would like to be involved.
Bought 2-3 phones and had to buy chargers. Add me please.
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My iPhone purchase didn’t come with a charger. I had to pay extra for one. Please add me to the list.
Got an Iphone14+ that didn’t come with a complete charger (cord but no adapter). A little annoying and frustrating to deal with. Add me to the list.