Canadian iPod early adopters have just won a class action suit against Apple that will see purchasers receive a $45 credit. The suit was filed because Apple claimed that first-generation iPods provided a 10-hour battery life when, in actuality, it was really about half that. A similar lawsuit was won in the U.S. back in 2005.
It certainly isn't right to misrepresent what a product can do. We can, however, give manufacturers like Apple the benefit of the doubt. Maybe it was unclear that this declining battery life issue even existed. To that end, however, it just goes to show that quality control testing is of paramount importance in any product. And with the power of the Internet, and ease of the ability to disseminate information to millions all over the world, it becomes even more important to make products that meet certain standards.
Aside from the sweet vindication that anyone who bought an iPod prior to June 24, 2004 might feel right now, this is also a lesson to be learned by all manufacturers out there: don't make false (or uneducated) claims about your product, or someone, somewhere will fight back. And hey, they just might win.
It certainly isn't right to misrepresent what a product can do. We can, however, give manufacturers like Apple the benefit of the doubt. Maybe it was unclear that this declining battery life issue even existed. To that end, however, it just goes to show that quality control testing is of paramount importance in any product. And with the power of the Internet, and ease of the ability to disseminate information to millions all over the world, it becomes even more important to make products that meet certain standards.
Aside from the sweet vindication that anyone who bought an iPod prior to June 24, 2004 might feel right now, this is also a lesson to be learned by all manufacturers out there: don't make false (or uneducated) claims about your product, or someone, somewhere will fight back. And hey, they just might win.
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