The lawyer who has filed a class-action lawsuit against Apple and AT&T said Wednesday the companies duped iPhone buyers by failing to disclose how expensive it would be to replace the battery.
Larry Drury filed the suit last week in Circuit Court in Chicago, joining others in accusing Apple of failing to make clear to iPhone buyers how much it would cost to replace the battery. On Monday, the Consumer Protection Board in New York called on Apple to make replacing the battery easier and less expensive.
Drury told InformationWeek that Apple and AT&T, the exclusive service provider, sold the iPhone without fully disclosing the cost during its lifetime. "As a mater of policy and good business practices, they should have disclosed to the public, who is paying a considerable amount of money for this phone, exactly what it was going to cost them at the end of the day," Drury said.
The Consumer Protection Board echoed those allegations, saying in a letter to Apple Chief Executive Steve Jobs that Apple should "review its practices in disclosing contract terms and conditions, warranties and return policies." Board Chairwoman and Executive Director Mindy A. Bockstein said disclosures on the cost of replacing the battery should be more prominently displayed in Apple stores and online.
"A high-end cell phone shouldn"t have to have low-end customer service," Bockstein said.
An Apple spokeswoman told InformationWeek the company does not comment on pending litigation.