A proposed class-action lawsuit filed against Apple claiming the company has been deceiving its customers about the iPhones’ water-resistance capabilities was recently dismissed (via Reuters). According to the plaintiffs, Apple’s “false and deceptive” misrepresentations of the iPhone’s water resistance allowed the tech giant to charge for its iPhones twice the price of an average smartphone.Apple advertises some iPhones as splash and dust resistant, and some can resist submersion in water at depths of up to 13.1 feet (4 meters) for 30 minutes, according to ads.
Denise Cote, the U.S. district judge overseeing the case, stated that the plaintiffs’ allegations that Apple’s ads could mislead consumers were plausible, but the complainants didn’t have proof that their iPhones were damaged by “liquid contact,” which Apple promised iPhones could endure.
The plaintiffs also didn’t have any proof that Apple planned to misrepresent its claims about iPhones’ water resistance or that they fell victim to deceitful marketing when purchasing their iPhones.
Spencer Sheehan, a plaintiffs’ lawyer, stated that his clients are disappointed by the lawsuit’s dismissal and that, at the moment at least, there is no decision on whether to appeal.
It must be noted that this isn’t the first time Apple has been under fire for the way it advertises the water-resistant capabilities of its iPhones. In 2020, an Italian agency fined Apple €10 million (around $11.95 million) because the company didn’t tell its customers that the water-resistant ratings in its iPhone ads were only true under ideal laboratory conditions. According to the agency, the iPhones didn’t perform as well in real-world testing.
