A lawsuit has been filed against Apple in New York, accusing the company of misrepresenting how water-resistant its iPhones arein its marketing. Like many smartphone, Apple includes a level of water resistance in iPhone lineup , with the alleged level of resistance increasing steadily in recent years.
There have also been reports of iPhones dropped into lakes being recovered months later in working order, even without additional water protection. However, the lawsuit, filed April 24 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, alleges that Apple is overstating the water resistance capabilities of hardware .
Read also: US Senate: Companies blame Apple/Google for their store policies
For example, the company said that the iPhone 7 has an “IP67” waterproof rating , which guarantees protection in water up to 1 meter for up to 30 minutes. In addition, for the iPhone 11 Pro and Pro Max, Apple said that they have an “IP68”, offering protection in water up to 4 meters for up to 30 minutes. Accordingly, the iPhone 12 offers – according to the company – protection in water up to 6 meters for 30 minutes.
However, the lawsuit notes that these requirements are not actually met, as the water-resistance certification levels are based on laboratory tests in static, clean water, not in a pool or sea water. This means that consumers who stand at the edge of a pool or sea and their devices either get slightly wet or fall into the water will not be covered by the company's warranty because the water contains chlorine or salt, the lawsuit states.
Additionally, the lawsuit notes that Apple's warranty does not cover damage caused by liquids. The lawsuit also points out that Apple's suggestion that you rinse areas of an iPhone that have come into contact with liquids — such as juices or coffee — could introduce liquid in ways that could turn the indicator red. It argues that this activity could be used to deny warranty coverage.
See also: REvil gang demands ransom from Apple to stop leaking product designs
In the case of plaintiff Antoinette Smith – described as a Bronx County resident – she is said to have purchased an iPhone 8 that came into contact with water that her device was supposed to be resistant to, according to the IP rating, but was damaged.
When Smith asked Apple to repair her iPhone, the company refused to cover the warranty because the device was damaged by liquid. This forced Smith to “suffer financial loss due to repair costs, reduced functionality, and the purchase of a new device,” the lawsuit states.
However, Smith still plans to buy another iPhone if she can be assured that water resistance claims are consistent with "typical everyday smartphone use, rather than based on controlled laboratory conditions.".
Suggestion: “Spring loaded” event: See all the new products Apple introduced
The lawsuit contains allegations filed by all iPhone buyers living in New York state, accusing Apple of violating the Consumer Protection Statute of the New York General Business Law.
Buyers' demand for a jury trial may force Apple to fix its marketing, as well as the issue of insurance recovery and monetary damages.
This isn't the first time Apple's claims about the water resistance of its devices have come under fire.
In November 2020, the Italian Antitrust Authority fined €10 million , alleging that the company misled consumers by offering a warranty against liquid damage to their devices but then refused to cover the warranty. The fine is cited in the lawsuit as evidence that Apple has received complaints “from regulators, competitors and consumers, at its headquarters in recent years” about the issue, so it knows there is a problem to fix.
Information source: appleinsider.com
