Apple, AT&T sued over iPhone 4 antenna problems

From InfoWorld: Just six days after the iPhone 4's launch, a pair of Maryland residents sued Apple and AT&T, alleging that the smartphone's defective antenna design drops calls and can't hold a strong signal.

The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Maryland, claimed Apple knowingly sold defective phones and broke its warranty promises. The lawsuit also leveled seven additional charges against Apple and AT&T, including general negligence, deceptive trade practices, fraud, and misrepresentation.

Kevin McCaffrey and Linda Wrinn pre-ordered two iPhone 4s each from AT&T on June 15, but after receiving their phones on June 24 and 28, respectively, they experienced dropped calls because of the device's antenna design, the suit alleged.

"Plaintiffs are left with a device that cannot be used for the normal purpose and in the normal manner in which such devices are intended to be used," read the lawsuit. "Plaintiffs are unable to return the phone without incurring a substantial restocking fee."

The lawsuit seeks class-action status, a move that if granted, would allow any U.S. iPhone 4 owner to join the case.

Their lawsuit is the first stemming from complaints about sub-standard iPhone 4 call reception, which started last week when the new phone reached users. Almost immediately, owners reported that their phones would lose a signal, or that the signal indicator would show a weakened signal, when the smartphone was gripped in a certain way, especially if it was held in the left hand.

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