Apple faces class action suit over allegedly defective iMac displays

Another class action suit has been brought against Apple, this time alleging the company knew about, but did not address, a fault with displays in the previous generation of 27-inch iMac desktops.

Corbin Rasmussen, of Idaho Falls, Idaho, says in the complaint that his 27-inch iMac began to experience trouble with the display 18 months after purchase. Specifically, half of the display went dark, which Rasmussen says impacted his use of the computer for things like watching movies or web browsing. The suit was first noticed by GigaOM.

After examining the computer, Rasmussen claims that Apple told him a repair would run $500 because the desktop was out of warranty. Rasmussen believes Apple should offer free repairs for the product, pointing to a 300-page-long thread on Apple's user-to-user support forums as evidence that the problem is widespread enough to warrant special action.

"Despite numerous complaints mounting in Apple's online forums and lodged with Apple Care customer service representatives, Apple has refused to publicly acknoledge the screen dimming defect," the complaint says, "and has failed to stand behind its representations and products and offer a fix for impacted consumers."

Rasumussen also cites a 2009 Techcrunch report that called the iMac an "iLemon," and seeks to represent all owners of 27-inch iMacs featuring LED-backlit displays from South Korean manufacturer LG made prior to December 2012. The case, the complaint says, may be worth more than $5 million.