Apple has been sued four times over the last two weeks over poor 3G performance. Complaints filed in Florida, New Jersey, and Texas all claim that the iPhone 3G suffers from both 3G performance issues that result in dropped network connections and hairline cracks in its casing, while a separate case in California omits the cracking issue, focusing solely on 3G problems. Interestingly, the California suit is the only one which does not name U.S.
iPhone carrier AT&T as well as Apple. All four lawsuits allege that Apple knowingly marketed the phone without disclosing the performance issues and seek damages, while the Florida and New Jersey suits seek to stop the companies from continuing “false and misleading advertising,” the California suit seeks the return of all profits Apple received plus interest, and the Texas suit seeks for the return of all profits gained by “misleading” advertising as well as a disclaimer to be put on the product’s packaging.
The four suits represent the latest entries in an ongoing string of legal battles between AT&T and Apple and iPhone 3G owners, many of which have made claims similar to those found in these complaints.
Testing of the iPhone 3G showed the handset to be “completely normal” in terms of its ability to receive 3G signals, however, network speeds and reliability have varied dramatically from location to location in other tests, with AT&T network differences apparently to blame. Apple has previously contended that “no reasonable person” would have taken the company’s “twice as fast for half the price” slogan at face value.
Updated: A request for reader comments on iPhone 3G lawsuits, service, and warranty issues has been posted.
