Apple knowingly sold 2016-17 MacBook Pro models with ‘Flexgate’ display defect, judge says

In 2019, some customers of the 2016 and 2017 MacBook Pro models began to notice a strange “stage lighting” effect that would impact their screen, which could render the laptop unusable. This strange event results from a weak, fragile flexible cable that can experience wear when repeatedly opening and closing the computer.

Image via MacRumors SourceSunToM player

Now, two years later, a judge presiding over a consumer group case accusing Apple of knowingly selling the laptops, despite the defect, says Apple was alerted to the problem through preliminary testing.

As noted in a paywall report from Law360Judge Edward Davila sided with the plaintiffs in agreeing that testing laptops before release would have informed Apple engineers of the problem. Therefore, the company knowingly sold the laptops with the defect.

U.S. District Judge Edward Davila has determined that consumer claims that Apple conducted extensive pre-launch testing, which consumers believe were conducted by a team of “reliability engineers” who performed Stress tests and other procedures that would have alerted Apple to the flaws behind the display failures sufficiently demonstrate that Apple was aware of the alleged defect.

“The court finds that the claims of pre-release testing in combination with the allegations of substantial customer complaints are sufficient to show that Apple had sole knowledge of the alleged defect,” the judge wrote in his opinion.

The plaintiff, Mahan Taleshpour, representing a larger group of consumers, says Apple “continues to deny that there has ever been a defect in its display cables”, and goes further by saying that Apple has attempted to cover any evidence of “Flexgate”.

According to Talehspour, Apple has deliberately removed comments and threads from its Apple Support Community Forum, which often serves as a go-to place for crowdsourcing information about potential issues with Apple devices. Talehspour accuses Apple of removing comments describing “Flexgate” and display issues. The judge says that if the accusation is true, it will serve as further evidence that Apple was aware of the problem.

If Apple removed comments on its website of consumers complaining of display issues attributable to the alleged defect, this suggests that Apple was aware of the alleged defect, higher than the complainants or potential class members.

Apple is pushing back, saying Talehspour bought its MacBook Pro in 2017 and used it without any problems for over three years until the case was closed. Apple also says the claim is based on false assumptions, not hard facts.

Specifically, Apple says the idea that preliminary testing of the device alerted it to the problem isn’t accurate. Alexander Wheeler, an attorney for the case, says the plaintiffs are “understandably satisfied” with the judge’s current position on the matter and their decision to allow the case to go ahead. Wheeler goes on to state the specifics of “Flexgate”.

“These thin cables stretch and wear out when consumers open and close their laptops,” Wheeler said. “As those thin cables tear, laptop display screens – which Apple touts as the ‘best Mac display ever’ – stop working long before the expected lifespan of the laptop. an expensive Apple laptop. ”

With the release of the MacBook Pro in 2018, Apple solved the problem by adding a longer and seemingly stronger flexible cable to the display, reducing the risk of wear and tear.