Apple has been slapped with a U.S. Federal lawsuit over an iMessages issue that blocked users from receiving text messages if they switched from iPhones to Android, Windows Phone or other rival platform based smartphones.
The plaintiff Adrienne Moore claimed that message blocking disrupted her contract with Verizon Wireless for wireless service when she opted to switch from an iPhone 4 to a Samsung Galaxy S5 back in April.
Moore pointed out fault at Apple’s end for failing to reveal the message blocking issue to the users who left the iPhone platform.The plaintiff is seeking class-action status and unspecified damages for the lawsuit.
U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh on Monday ruled out that Moore can go ahead with a claim against the Cupertino for not disclosing its policies on devices not associated with its network.
“Plaintiff does not have to allege an absolute right to receive every text message in order to allege that Apple’s intentional acts have caused an actual breach or disruption of the contractual relationship,” Koh wrote.
In court filings, Apple said it never claimed that iOS 5 users would be able to use the iMessage service and Messages application when switching to rival platforms.
“Apple takes customer satisfaction extremely seriously, but the law does not provide a remedy when, as here, technology simply does not function as plaintiff subjectively believes it should,” the California-based company said.
Earlier this week the iPad maker had released a tool that allows users to de-register from its iMessage service.
Neither Apple nor Moore’s lawyer Roy Katriel responded to request for comments on the latest development.
