California Court Reopens Lawsuit Over Apple Screen Repair Rules

A California appeals court has decided to reopen a 2022 lawsuit targeting Apple over how it handled cracked phone screens. The case centers on claims that the company misled customers about warranty options to steer them away from independent service shops. After being previously dismissed by a lower judge, a three-judge panel recently brought the legal battle back to life for a much closer look.

The appeals panel decides the company unfairly inflated repair costs

In 2022, plaintiffs Jesse Granato and Janice Zarad filed a lawsuit after dealing with broken screens on an iPhone. They stated a retail employee told them in 2021 that using an outside service to fix the damage would void their warranty. Because of this warning, the customers chose to pay the company directly for the screen replacement.

The lawsuit claims the company purposely drove up the price of independent repairs by restricting access to necessary parts, software, and repair manuals. A Santa Clara Superior Court judge initially sided with the hardware maker and dismissed the case, concluding the plaintiffs did not have standing under state unfair competition laws.

Now, the Sixth Appellate District panel has overturned that initial decision. Associate Justice Cynthia Lie wrote in a unanimous ruling that these restricted repair policies substantially hurt consumers. By withholding parts from independent shops, the company created market conditions that forced buyers to pay higher prices or buy completely new devices.

The plaintiffs also argued that these actions violated the spirit of the 1975 Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act. While they tried to include the California 2024 Right to Repair Act in their arguments, the court noted that the specific law was passed after the original lawsuit was filed. With the case officially revived, the dispute now heads back to a lower court where the hardware maker will have to answer for its past service rules.