Apple, AT&T Hit with iPhone 4 Reception Lawsuit

Apple’s new iPhone 4 has been available for only a week, and already the first lawsuit targeting issues with the combination iPod and smartphone’s cell signal reception in on the books. The class action lawsuit was filed in U.S. Federal Court in Maryland on Wednesday and alleges that Apple and AT&T sold the new iPhone model to customers while knowing the antenna design was defective.

According to the lawsuit, the plaintiffs “were sold defective iPhone 4 units, which drops calls and data service when held in a manner consistent with normal wireless phone use.”

The issue that some users see a degradation in the cell signal when they cover the lower left corner of the iPhone 4 with their left hand, which just so happens to be exactly how many people hold their cell phone when making calls.

The lawsuit goes on to state “Plaintiffs have experienced numerous dropped calls, and as a result, 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.”

The plaintiffs also allege that Apple and AT&T are responsible for general negligence, defect in design, breach of warranty, deceptive trade practices, intentional misrepresentation, negligent misrepresentation, and fraud by concealment.

While this may be the first iPhone 4-related lawsuit to be filed, it most likely won’t be the last. The lawfirm of Kershaw, Cutter & Ratinoff have been actively seeking out iPhone 4 owners for their own class action lawsuit over reception issues, and presumably are working on their filing.

Despite the complaints, Apple is claiming that there aren’t any issues with the iPhone 4’s antennas or the product design. For customers that are, however, experiencing signal loss issues, the company is suggesting they try holding their phone differently, or get an iPhone case.

[Thanks to AllThingsD for the heads up.]