Despite Apple’s strong attempts to just sweep this issue under the rug, a handful of class-action lawsuits have already been filed over the widely publicized iPhone 4 reception issues.
There is a metal casing around the iPhone 4 that houses the device’s cellular and wireless antennas. Because that metal is exposed, it is easy for users to grip the phone in such a way that it obstructs the signal and cuts off or seriously reduces signal strength.
As the fastest-selling and arguably the most high-profile phone ever, millions of people are scratching their heads over how Apple could have let such a design flaw go through without any concern. That is the main point of contention in the flurry of lawsuits.
It was only a matter of time until these began to pop up. There was even a law firm in California encouraging people to send them their iPhone 4 problem stories.
One class-action lawsuit in Oakland, California already has 11 plaintiffs. “The iPhone 4 manifests design and manufacturing defects that were known to Defendants before it was released which were not disclosed to consumers, namely, a connection problem caused by the iPhone 4’s antenna configuration that makes it difficult or impossible to maintain a connection to AT&T’s network.”
The real catalyst that is pumping up these lawsuits, though, is the fact that Apple has refused to consider this any sort of issue at all. The lawsuit goes on to say, “Defendants have failed to provide customer support to assist iPhone 4 customers regarding this defect.”
Plaintiffs are seeking monetary damages as well as an injunction that would require Apple to “undertake an informational campaign” to let consumers know about the iPhone 4’s design defects.
