Apple Drowns in iPod Lawsuit

When a product is meant for sale, it has to meet certain quality standards. It is not different with the case of the Apple ipods. With the release of up to five generations of the unit, one has to wonder how strict they are with its manufacturing procedures. An ipod lawsuit being filed by different complainants project the image that Apple has been very irresponsible with the production of these portable music devices.

One of the ipod lawsuit filed are claims that the unit causes hearing damages. The complainant in the ipod lawsuit states that the company does not warn users of its physical risks, and the design of the ipod’s white earbud phones increase the chances of hearing loss. There was even one rumor that fuels this ipod lawsuit that said that Apple's engineers increased the ipod’s sound because they reasoned that CEO Steve Jobs is almost deaf.

Such childish remarks only serve to discredit the ipod lawsuit. But in this case, it only shows how irresponsible Apple has been with neglecting to consider quality standards. But with the new release of the fifth generation ipod, this ipod lawsuit will no longer be a problem since ipod has included the capability to lower the volume and even fix a volume range to a certain level so that parents can limit the sounds their children take when listening to their ipod.

Another ipod lawsuit raised is the battery life. The consumers, who filed the suit, alleged that iPod failed to stand to its claims of the rechargeable battery lasting the product's lifetime and continuously play music for up to 10 hours. Thousands of consumers who has read the ipod lawsuit also complained that the ipod’s battery —costing $99 to replace — lasted only 18 months or less and it only played music for four hours before recharging.

Because of this, many consumers with battery problems on older versions of the iPod digital music player will receive $50 vouchers and an extended service warranties as ordered from a tentative settlement filed under the said class-action lawsuit. The ipod lawsuit could affect 2 million users in the US who purchased first-generation, second-generation and third-generation iPods through May 2004.

Environmentalists were also upset, saying the short-lived battery encouraged consumers to dispose of their old devices, which were ending up in landfills and possibly leaking toxins. Apple has been the target for yearlong campaign by these environmental groups, who are asking the executives to reduce/eliminate recycling fees for their consumers and build recycling centers for the ipod.

However, Apple has done almost nothing to discourage the iPod as a disposable unit and there is a possibility of a future ipod lawsuit should they continue to neglect the problem.

One can quickly address this ipod lawsuit and say that there are available third-party gadgets to prolong, charge the ipod easily or even replace the battery. These batteries contain more capacity than its original standard Apple batteries. However, since the battery is a major part of the music player device, its inability to meet the claims on the box does implicate that Apple ipod is liable to those who filed the ipod lawsuit.

The ipod lawsuit does not end there. Another class suit was filed against Apple for the replacement fees being charged to customers for replacing the broken iPod nano screens. The ipod lawsuit alleges that the iPod nano is defective because the screen is easily scratched and the company is breaking the product warranty by charging $25 for their replacements. They contend in the ipod lawsuit that since the Nano cannot withstand normal use without being damaged, the company should have appropriate warnings to the consumer.

What does this entire ipod lawsuit mean for Apple Computer? Make better products or they end up paying settlements left and right. Just like every other industry, Apple Computers must fix products deemed defective for free or refund the costs its paid customers, especially when it is within the warranty period to lessen the ipod lawsuit filed against them.

Many see this ipod lawsuit as a wake up call for the billionaire company to be strict with their quality control, be responsible in their advertising, and be efficient with their after-sales service. As long as greedy companies are duping people into buying inferior products, many more lawsuits like the ipod lawsuit will surface.