Apple Sued Over Faulty 2011 Macbook Pros: Lawsuit Claims Company 'Knew' About Problem, Still Charged Customers $100s for Repair
Apple may be in a bit of PR problem.
The computer giant is currently facing a lawsuit brought forth by disgruntled customers whose Macbook Pro laptops began malfunctioning. The lawsuit is asking Apple to reimburse customers for expenses and damages.
Although Apple computers are known to be reliable, they are not perfect, and this seems to the case with a batch of 2011-era Macbook Pros that began malfunctioning, according to Huffington Post. The computers' owners approached Apple about their problem, and the company offered to repair the computers; however, those not covered by the company's insurance plan had to pay around $600 out of pocket for new motherboards.
Still, this did not fix the problem, prompting three people in California to sue the computer manufacturer.
The lawsuit claims the problem lies with the graphics card attached to the computer. Known as graphics processing units or GPUs, these cards are extras attached to the motherboard for more powerful graphics. However, the lead-free soldering material used to attach can fails due to heat, corrupting the card and the motherboard.
"What's unique about this case is that this problem was there from the onset," said Gary Mason, a founding partner at Whitfield Bryson & Mason LLP, which is handling the lawsuit. "Apple knew it."
A Change.org petition was started asking Apple to replace or fix the damaged 2011 Macbook Pros. It currently has more than 25,000 signatures. The company, however, has not said anything on the issue.
According to Time magazine, people have also created a Facebook page to voice their complaints. Although more than 20,000 people have signed the petition, Apple has sold around 16.7 million units in 2011, which means many users may not have experienced the same problem.
A computer that has begun experiencing screen or graphic glitches or complete distortions may be part of the bad batch.
"Graphics become distorted, followed by software shutdowns, system freezes and, eventually, total system failure," the lawsuit states.
Whitfield Bryson & Mason has an online questionnaire for anyone who believes they have have a faulty Macbook Pro.
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