Angry Plaintiffs in ‘Error 53’ Lawsuit Against Apple Desperately Try to Keep Their Case Alive

Angry Plaintiffs in ‘Error 53’ Lawsuit Against Apple Desperately Try to Keep Their Case Alive
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Apple has a rich history when it comes to being the target of ongoing litigation. And while we’ve certainly seen our fair share of bizarre patent cases over the years, this recent courtroom saga lodged against the Silicon Valley tech-giant, in particular, takes the cake as perhaps the most outlandish, for the most unsubstantiated reasons.

In the latest evolution of coming to terms between Apple and plaintiffs in the infamous ‘Error 53’ Touch ID lawsuit, the Cupertino-company’s motion to dismiss the class action filing against it was recently met with yet another class action filing — by angry plaintiffs who are alleging that the company’s “remedial actions,” which included a subsequent software update in addition to monetary compensation, are insufficient.

For those not in the know, ‘Error 53’ was one of Apple’s most recent, software-related conundrums — which, premised around the failure of Touch ID, ultimately led to the “bricking” of an unknown number of iPhones owned by a very, very upset consortium of users that were affected by the bug.

Ironically enough, Apple — despite releasing a software update to rectify the issue, in addition to offering monetary compensation to affected users — had filed a motion earlier this month that the claims were null and void given the company’s intervention.

In response to Apple’s recent motion filings, however, several of the original plaintiffs in the case have alleged that, not only did Apple fail to notify affected users of the company’s reimbursement program, but that the information posted on its website was “vague” — in that the company made little effort to inform customers beset by the ‘Error 53’ software issues.

Certain plaintiffs, in particular, allege that Apple made an “arbitrary and negligent” mistake when it cross referenced emails that were dispatched to customers thought to be affected by the issue who were actually not due any reimbursement. Another plaintiff claimed that they attempted calling Apple support to find out more about the company’s reimbursement program, but they were inadvertently disconnected in the process.

Initially filed back in February of this year, users plagued by the ‘Error 53’ message alleged in their complaint that Apple has “gone too far” in regulating and controlling its iOS ecosystem. Some users actually reported that they believe Apple was intentionally trying to sabotage their devices by rendering them inaccessible even after their hardware was fixed by a 3rd party.

For it’s part, Apple officially acknowledged the presence of ‘Error 53’ — which caused affected iPhones to be rendered inaccessible — just a week prior to the initial class action filing in California’s Northern District Court.

A representative from the Apple had the following to say about the issue to AppleInsider:

“We take customer security very seriously and Error 53 is the result of security checks designed to protect our customers. iOS checks that the Touch ID sensor in your iPhone or iPad correctly matches your device’s other components. If iOS finds a mismatch, the check fails and Touch ID, including for Apple Pay use, is disabled. This security measure is necessary to protect your device and prevent a fraudulent Touch ID sensor from being used. If a customer encounters Error 53, we encourage them to contact Apple Support.”

Regardless of Apple’s attempts to rectify the issue, both the original and amended filings accuse the Silicon Valley iPhone-maker of “fraud, gross negligence, misrepresentation, and unjust enrichment” related to the company’s handling of the case.

According to court documents, both Apple and the plaintiffs are scheduled to meet in court on the 16th of June — unless, by some odd miracle, the parties are able to arrive at an amicable, mutual resolution before then.

But, let’s face it – these people are clearly ticked, and so that’s probably not going to happen here, but we’ll keep you updated on the ultimate verdict.

What are your thoughts about the latest developments in Apple’s ‘Error 53’ class-action lawsuit?
Let us know in the comments!

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