AfterDawn: News

Woman sues Apple over iPhone price cut

A New York woman was so upset about Apple Inc.'s decision to cut a large $200 from the 8GB iPhone price, and drop the 4GB model completely, that she has filed a lawsuit against the company alleging violation of price discrimination laws. Dongmei LiL of Queens is seeking $1 million in damages over the company's decision to make such drastic price reduction within a few short months of the items launch.

Hundreds of early adopters complained about such a sudden price reduction. Those who bought an 8GB iPhone at $599 in the two weeks before the price cut were offered the $200 back as a refund, and for all of those that purchased the iPhone earlier, the company offered up $100 credit for Apple stores.



According to Li's complaint, the price cut injured customers like her because they cannot resell the product for the same profit as those who bought the iPhone following the price cut. As an owner of a 4GB iPhone model, Li claims that owners of the $499 model were given less favorable terms than those who bought the 8GB model at the premium price.

The lawsuit also alleges that Apple and AT&T are taking part in unfair business practices with the required 2-year service contract for the iPhone

Source:
Yahoo (AP)

Written by: James Delahunty @ 1 Oct 2007 19:14

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• 28 comments

• ydkjman

  Um, good luck with that.

  1.10.2007 20:12 #1

• chaos_zzz

  that suxs, as ydkjman said good luck , i would be pissed to luckely i don't like stuff that has an apple on it

  1.10.2007 20:23 #2

• Jlhfit

  stupid women.. This is American Idiogracy at its finest... In this case I guess everyone can sue Sony for cutting this price of PS3 or any company that cuts its prices to gain more customers..

  1.10.2007 20:51 #3

• ydkjman

  That's what you get when you buy something when it first comes out. Heck I just bought my self the Dreamcast a couple of years ago and guess how much I saved.

  1.10.2007 21:01 #4

• cleverick

  as much as i dont like apple, i hope apple wins. people will sue for just about anything. apple was just doing what every other company does, screw the consumer.

  1.10.2007 21:16 #5

• Jlhfit

  LOL.. I bought the Moto Slvr before the price cut, so can I sue, Or sue b/c at first you could not insure them, but now you can.. America, the land of the "law suit"..
  Actually people, you can sue over anything, but its up to the judge on whether it carries merit or not.. More than likely it will be thrown out just based on what ground does she have. Where does she figure that the damages from Apples price cut caused her 1 million in damages/pain and suffering or anything much less, except the fact that she just found out what "BIG" buisness and economy is all about... Shes a moroon. She is the reason why our country looks like crap to the rest of the world.

  1.10.2007 22:15 #6

• 2DGAMEDOG

  I'm gonna sue hole fucking world being asshole.

  1.10.2007 22:27 #7

• ripxrush

  okay so if i buy a new model car & pay "full price" I can sue @ the "Year end clearance"? weird! i wish i knew that i could do such things! this lady is nutz she looks all us Americans look even worse! Thanks B*$%h! Damn i guess si should get on sprint for dropping my wifes treo755 a few weeks after i paid a good chunk of change for it! or maybe i should sue for my 650 & them discontinuing it! LOL! I could go on but we all know how pathetic this is! lol

  1.10.2007 22:37 #8

• ripxrush

  Originally posted by cleverick: as much as i dont like apple, i hope apple wins. people will sue for just about anything. apple was just doing what every other company does, screw the consumer.They did do 1 better than most company's they did offer a $100 refund! M$ would have NEVER done that! I have a new laptop i spent over 1500 for & have vista on it HP don't give a shit! they said they couldn't do anything they no longer carried XP!

  1.10.2007 22:40 #9

• maryjayne

  Unless she gets a $1000000 lawyer she will not win.
  
  I hope she at least can set up a separate case for the 2-year service agreement portion of this complaint.
  
  I know that ATT/Cingular are only out for getting customers to sign their agreements to lock them into their service. I started my service when they were first ATT. Then after my 1-year contract expired they became Cingular, and I had to sign another 1-year agreement to get rollover minutes. Then a few months after my 1-year agreement ends with Cingular they are now back to ATT. I am just waiting for ATT to switch back to Cingular.
  
  I am sure that ATT was in the bricking of unlocked iPhones with the iPhone update.

  2.10.2007 04:01 #10

• Kerpalguy

  1 Million in damages? Only in America. Another frivolous suit where greed rules over rational thinking. :-/

  2.10.2007 05:59 #11

• SuckRaven

  Somebody should slap this woman with a Lil Dong. =) That is what you get for early-adopting a completely new product. Quit your whining and stop trying to make a quick buck as well as a name for yourself by initiating a bitchy lawsuit. Yes, Apples business practices and business models are sometimes utterly confuing, but understandable. Complete idiocy. Also, I doubt she would be trying to re-sell her iPod for profit had the price cut not been made. What a completely utter TOOL !!!

  2.10.2007 07:17 #12

• vurbal

  Originally posted by Kerpalguy: 1 Million in damages? Only in America. Another frivolous suit where greed rules over rational thinking. :-/
  That's right. All the greedy people are in the US. In fact all we talk about is money while we're eating babies and running over puppies in our gas guzzling SUVs on our way to dumping toxic waste into the nearest waterway :-|
  

  I've come to kick ass and chew bubble gum.... and I'm all out of bubble gum
  
  What is best in life?
  To crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentations of their women.

  2.10.2007 07:25 #13

• SProdigy

  Quote:Originally posted by Kerpalguy: 1 Million in damages? Only in America. Another frivolous suit where greed rules over rational thinking. :-/
  That's right. All the greedy people are in the US. In fact all we talk about is money while we're eating babies and running over puppies in our gas guzzling SUVs on our way to dumping toxic waste into the nearest waterway :-|Relax Vurbal, I highly doubt this woman is an American citizen. Just another foreigner trying to make an eBay or bootleg buck off of the honest working citizen. An American company screwed her out of her feedback on PayPal and now she has to sue to regain her reputation!

  2.10.2007 07:45 #14

• morguex

  Some people just have to have the latest and greatest crap, so to this lady I say suck it up and deal with it. This is the kinda stupid crap that makes reasonable people shake their heads and laugh.
  
  Quote from article "Hundreds of early adopters complained about such a sudden price reduction. Those who bought an 8GB iPhone at $599 in the two weeks before the price cut were offered the $200 back as a refund, and for all of those that purchased the iPhone earlier, the company offered up $100 credit for Apple stores."
  If she was to dumb to take advantage of this offer, it's hardly apples fault.
  Peace all

  2.10.2007 08:04 #15

• vurbal

  Originally posted by SProdigy: Relax Vurbal, I highly doubt this woman is an American citizen. Just another foreigner trying to make an eBay or bootleg buck off of the honest working citizen. An American company screwed her out of her feedback on PayPal and now she has to sue to regain her reputation!
  Don't worry. I don't take many things I read on the internet seriously.
  

  I've come to kick ass and chew bubble gum.... and I'm all out of bubble gum
  
  What is best in life?
  To crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentations of their women.

  2.10.2007 09:20 #16

• DoomLight

  she wont get a million bux assuming the case isn't thrown out. but if they settle. she'll make alot more than the president in one year.

  2.10.2007 09:58 #17

• chaos_zzz

  maybe if they make like a group of hate they could win cuz those process cost a lot of money

  2.10.2007 10:46 #18

• morguex

  Originally posted by chaos_zzz: maybe if they make like a group of hate they could win cuz those process cost a lot of moneyI'm confused, could you please explain what you mean by that?

  2.10.2007 11:17 #19

• emugamer

  [cough]frivolous[/cough]
  
  How is a $200 decrease in price worth a million in damages?? I hope she accidentally drops her iPhone in the sewer.
  
  Well, I'll get in line....I'm going to sue newegg. My 6-month old PC is worth $@#% now. That's not fair :-(

  2.10.2007 14:01 #20

• Kerpalguy

  Quote:Originally posted by Kerpalguy: 1 Million in damages? Only in America. Another frivolous suit where greed rules over rational thinking. :-/
  That's right. All the greedy people are in the US. In fact all we talk about is money while we're eating babies and running over puppies in our gas guzzling SUVs on our way to dumping toxic waste into the nearest waterway :-|[color=blue]Unfortunately, yes. Where else in the world do courts award such sums for petty complaints? No where except in the US. Your comments about SUV's, eating babies etc. are weak and have nothing to do with the topic of frivolous lawsuits, and are uncalled for.
  
  Lawyers have no ethics, all they want is their 50% of the award sum. They tie up the US court systems with this unnecessary BS. There are more important cases to try.
  
  BTW, if it's any consolation - I am an American. Just one who does not agree with this misuse of the judicial system.
  
  Cheers[/color]

  2.10.2007 15:06 #21

• limelight

  What a dumb ass bitch.
  
  No one forced her to buy it at regular price; if the price was too high, she wouldnt have bought it in the first place!!
  
  Resale value???? Its a not a house or a car, its a fuckin' phone, lady!!!!

  2.10.2007 16:17 #22

• vurbal

  My comments relate directly to the general idea of only in America, which is generally a sign of someone arguing that Americans are fundamentally different from people in other first world countries. I reject that notion. Yes it's true that on the whole we have a more litigious society than most other countries, but someone speculating on a product and taking the manufacturer to court is hardly something that couldn't happen in other countries.

  2.10.2007 16:52 #23

• svtstang

  I honestly Laughed Out Loud a month ago or whenever it was Apple reduced the price of the iphone! There will always be those trend setters that must have new gear so they can boast to their friends, guess this is the price they pay. Didnt Apple offer a rebate to those that purchased the iphone at its inital release?
  
  edit
  
  Yeah they did offer $100, guess I should read better next time :)
  

  
  
  

  2.10.2007 17:06 #24

• raceman94

  LOL. This is another classic example of why you NEVER buy anything as soon as it releases! Wait a while!

  4.10.2007 17:44 #25

• borhan9

  LOL!!! so can i sue apple because they have a new video ipod out now. because the price has dropped and has more features :P what a joke get over it this is how competition works.

  4.10.2007 21:37 #26

• plazma247

  If you ask me its just another good reason not to get brain washed into being an apple buyer.

  5.10.2007 05:18 #27

• Outboard

  One reason for sueing for a million is because her Lawyer probably told her to. Another could be GREED. Also asking for such a high amount may make a Company treat all consumers the same. She sould have been offered a rebate like the other consumers (price and cost adjusted) not $100 gift card for their stuff. Apple needs to make things fair for all not just for the consumers that pay for better things. I feel she should get the $$$s for court cost,lawyer fees,the rebate adjustment,andafew $s more (for going to court,using her time to be there. Wages lost for court). But just few $s more. Just remember this can help all of us get treated fairly from Big Companies like Apple,Sony,and Others.

  10.10.2007 15:06 #28