Potential class action lawsuit brewing over Apple’s Error 53 iPhone issue
Apple calls it a security mechanism, but phone owners see it as unjust punishment
Last week, several months of confusion and frustration came to a head as The Guardian revealed that the Error 53 message on Touch ID-equipped iPhones – which effectively broke the devices – was an intentional Apple security feature.
By and large, the error has popped up after users had their phones repaired by third-party service agents, particularly if the Touch ID sensor and/or screen were affected, since the phone doesn’t recognise the new sensor. As iFixit explains, the issue involves mismatched cables, as Apple has provided no way to register new parts with a device. Still, many users see it as punishment for having their phones serviced by anyone other than Apple.
We figured it wouldn’t be the last we heard of the situation, and sure enough, there may be legal hurdles ahead for Apple. PCVA, a law firm in Seattle, Washington in the States, has reportedly offered to represent victims for free as it attempts to build a class action lawsuit against Apple, alleging that their actions violate consumer protection laws.
There’s potentially money here for the firm, of course, but this isn’t a surprising turn of events given how many people have flooded forums to report their issues. Furthermore, according to The Guardian, UK barrister Richard Colbey of Lamb Chambers informed them that Apple’s policy is "reckless" and that it could be a violation of the Criminal Damage Act of 1971 to intentionally destroy someone else’s property.
“It is hard to see how something which ceases to work in this way could be said to be of reasonable quality, one of the determinants of which is durability," Colbey told The Guardian in a new report published yesterday.
Apple will surely need to respond to this situation in some way, whether it’s to change its policies, better inform users of the risks, or offer free repairs (and/or refunds) to anyone afflicted by the issue… or maybe all of the above, really. Again, we’ll surely hear more about this before too long, so stay tuned.
[Sources: The Guardian, iFixit]
Andrew Hayward
Freelance Writer 
