Apple is serving another class action MacBook Pro ‘Flexgate’ lawsuit

Another class action lawsuit has been filed against Apple, which claims the company was aware of a MacBook Pro design flaw that caused some devices to have backlight display issues (via Apple Insider).

The so-called “flexgate” problem was present in some MacBook Pro models produced between 2016 and 2017. The problem appears as dark patches along the bottom of the MacBook Pro display. Some users have reported that opening their MacBook Pro over a certain angle will completely turn off the screen. iFixit discovered that this was because the delicate flex cable that connects to the bottom of the display could wear out and break over time.

The issue has been the subject of several lawsuits against Apple, with the most recent being filed in May. Since the problem often takes time to manifest, the affected ‌‌MacBook Pro‌‌ units may be outside Apple’s one-year warranty period when they begin to exhibit symptoms, resulting in an out-of-warranty repair form of up to $ 850.

Apple apparently solved the problem by extending the length of the flex cable by 2 mm in the 2018 MacBook Pro. It also launched in May 2019 a free repair program, but the program only applies to 13-inch BookMacBook Pro‌ models that were released in 2016.

The first-class lawsuit sought reimbursement for all costs associated with repairing or replacing the affected MacBook Pro units, and called on Apple to expand its repair program to cover the 15-inch MacBook Pro. . The proposed class was defined as all persons in the United States who purchased a 2016 or newer MacBook Pro.

“Apple was aware of the issues with the backlight screen and the defective flex cable, in light of the comments posted by consumers on Apple’s discussion forum and that those comments were deleted after they were posted,” reads the new lawsuit.

The complaint of the second-class action pleads for distortion of competition, false advertising and consumer fraud. Apple is also accused of violating the Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act, the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, and breach of express and implied warranty, in addition to fraudulent concealment and unfair enrichment.

Plaintiffs seek a range of relief, damages, and litigation costs. They also hope that a judgment will force Apple to identify and explain all faulty MacBook processes. Since there are currently two cases against Apple because of “flexgate,” both of which have been filed with the Northern District of California, it is likely that the cases will eventually be consolidated into one.