A class-action lawsuit is accusing Apple of false advertising, claiming the crackling issue of the first-gen AirPods Pro go against Apple's marketing promises.
AirPods Pro
Filed on November 1 in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California, the proposed class action lawsuit titled "LaBella et al v. Apple" claims that Apple was incorrect in marketing the high-quality audio of the AirPods Pro. Across 51 pages, the lawsuit alleges that the audio issues of the personal audio accessories go directly against the quality claims.
The lawsuit, first reported by ClassAction.org, discusses how consumers complained about audio problems when using the AirPods Pro within months of release. The issues were significant enough for Apple to launch a service program for affected units made before October 2020.
However, the lawsuit insists that the problems aren't just experienced by users of initially produced units, and that all first-generation AirPods Pro actually suffer from the issues. Apple was supposedly aware of it affecting more users, so it allegedly extended the service program to cover AirPods for three years after the initial sale.
Apple's own support documents explain that users could hear cracking or static sounds, along with Active Noise Cancellation faults, in certain circumstances. This included the use of the AirPods Pro in loud environments, or while a user was exercising or in a phone call.
The lawsuit further claims that customers would've either avoided the AirPods Pro or paid less for them if the issues were known about beforehand.
"The AirPods Pro Gen 1 were thus not worth the premium price that consumers paid for them-- as they contained an Audio Defect and did not live up to Apple's advertising," the suit states.
Apple is also alleged to have failed to notify first-gen model buyers of the support program's existence.
The claims for relief include accusations Apple breached its warranty under California law, Ohio law, Texas law, and Pennsylvania law, violations of the Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act, the California Consumer Legal Remedies Act, California Unfair Competition law, and the Consumer Protection Acts.
In its Prayer for Relief, the lawsuit demands damages to plaintiffs and class members, pre- and post-judgment interest, for Apple to repair and replace affected AirPods Pro units, and attorneys' fees.