AppleA lawsuit filed against Apple on Friday alleges the company did not properly warn customers about an iOS 9 feature that can cause monthly data usage – and therefore bills – to spiral.
After updating to iOS 9, the Wi-Fi Assist feature is turned on by default, enabling the device to switch to mobile data when Wi-Fi signal is weak. It is alleged that Wi-Fi Assist may have resulted in users going over the data capacity allowed under their phone plans – to the tune of $5million. The action also states that there was no clear warning or indication when a device switched from Wi-Fi to mobile data.
It was only after a flood of online articles and complaints that Apple issued a statement briefly explaining how to deactivate Wi-Fi Assist, adding it should only result in minor increases in charges.
However the lawsuit states:
“[Apple’s] corrective action still downplays the possible data overcharges a user could incur. The company failed to disclose any basis for its conclusion that an average consumer would not see much increase in cellular usage.”
ThinkstockThey are accused of violating the Unfair Competition Law, which covers “any unlawful, unfair or fraudulent business act or practice and unfair, deceptive, untrue or misleading advertising.” They have also contravened California False Advertising Law and face charges of negligent misrepresentation, according to the lawsuit.
Despite Apple’s efforts to curb the issue, the plaintiffs assert that their statement did little to make up for the $5million dollar problem.
