Judge Upholds iPhone Antitrust & Computer Fraud Claims

October 3rd, 2008 23:27 pm | by Ed |

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iPhone users will be interested in news about the class action lawsuit that claims Apple and AT&T Mobility’s five-year exclusive voice and data service provider agreement for the iPhone is in violation of the anti-monopoly portions of anti-trust laws

The suit also charges Apple with breaking both Federal and California computer fraud and abuse laws when they released version 1.1.1 of it’s iPhone operating system when Apple knew full well that doing so would “brick” (render completely and permanently useless) iPhones that users had unlocked so that they could use carriers other than AT&T.

By Upholding those claims, the judge is allowing the case to go forward which means that Apple and AT&T are going to have a tough time with this lawsuit. They’ll probably be getting out the patio furniture covers a bit early this year because the lawyers aren’t going to be sitting by the pool on this one at all.

I didn’t read the whole thing, but the decision does make it clear that both Apple and AT&T have definitely been walking the wrong side of the fence and I think that it’s only a matter of time before there is a final judgment against them. This is going to cost them a lot more than just lawyers… probably in the tens of millions.

Technorati Tags: anti monopoly, at&t, computer fraud, anti trust, apple, unlocked iphone, iphone, bricked iphone