Apple is facing a $5 million lawsuit claiming the tech giant’s iOS 9 crippled the 2011 iPhone 4S and made it unfit for daily use.
The new suit was filed in a New York district court on Tuesday, reported Apple Insider, suggesting the firm willingly advertised iOS 9 as being backwards compatible with the phone even though it knew about potential problems.
What’s more, the suit alleges that the new operating system made the iPhone 4S unusable. It says Apple schemed to force users into upgrading to new phones.
More than 100 people joined the class-action lawsuit that was filed on Dec. 29.
The suit also accused Apple of false advertising and deceptive trade practices.
“Plaintiff and other owners of the iPhone 4s were harmed when their devices’ software was updated to the newest version, iOS 9. The update significantly slowed down their iPhones and interfered with the normal usage of the device, leaving Plaintiff with a difficult choice: use a slow and buggy device that disrupts everyday life or spend hundreds of dollars to buy a new phone,” the lawsuit from plaintiff Chaim Lerman reads.
It also claims Apple uses security measures to block users from downgrading their devices to older operating systems.
In part, the suit also says:
When iPhone 4s owners are faced with the dilemma of continuing to use a slow, buggy phone or spend hundreds to buy a new phone, Apple often benefits because consumers will often buy a new iPhone to keep their investment in the App ecosystem. [...] Furthermore, iPhone owners will buy a newer iPhone when faced with the choice because it is familiar and they can easily transfer their information, media, contacts, and apps without a major disruption in usage. There is no learning curve and no delays and trouble that accompany new information input. Thus Apple stands to benefit financially when older iPhones are slowed down and owners are forced to purchase a new phone.
Apple faced similar lawsuits in 2011 from plaintiffs who claimed the iOS 4 made their iPhone 3Gs useless. The lawsuit was tossed out in court in 2012.
Apple’s iOS 9 was panned in September 2015 by a number of users who claimed it slowed down their devices, including the iPhone 6. Other Apple users complained their mobile devices crashed after they tried to upgrade to iOS 9.
According to a poll from 9to5Mac, around 43 percent of 33,000 responders said their iPhone was much slower after iOS 9 was installed.
Here’s the full lawsuit:
IOS 9 Slows iPhone 4S Complaint
---
