Apple Inc., an American multinational technology company headquartered in Cupertino, California, is on the verge of facing a legal lawsuit against the company because of Touch ID functionality on the iPhone that causes infamous Error 53 issue. Touch ID functionality on the iPhone is incredibly powerful and convenient and it does not only make the unlocking process much more efficient, it also powers Apple Pay, which enables users to pay for goods and services using only a fingerprint. As Touch ID plays such an integral role in the iOS, Apple has naturally enacted a number of security measures around this feature. Unfortunately, those security measures sometimes incur unintended consequences, according to a number of reports that began surfacing last week, iPhone 6 owners who had the Touch ID component of their iPhone repaired by third-party contractors are finding that their iPhones have become bricked after upgrading to either iOS 9 or later, only leaving users with an Error 53 message.
Apple issued a statement acknowledging the error and indicating that it’s the result of Apple’s security measures and said, "We take customer security very seriously and Error 53 is the result of security checks designed to protect our customers. iOS checks that the Touch ID sensor in your iPhone or iPad correctly matches your device’s other components. If iOS finds a mismatch, the check fails and Touch ID, including for Apple Pay use, is disabled. This security measure is necessary to protect your device and prevent a fraudulent Touch ID sensor from being used. If a customer encounters Error 53, we encourage them to contact Apple Support".
Now The Guardian has reported that lawyers in both the United States and the UK are already planning a class-action lawsuit against Apple, with the allegation being that Apple is in violation of consumer protection laws. In the UK, a barrister told the Guardian that Apple’s reckless policy of effectively killing people’s iPhones following the software upgrade could potentially be viewed as an offence under the Criminal Damage Act 1971.
In the United States also, a Seattle-based firm PVCA is prepairing a class-action suit and is already in touch with affected users. The PVCA said, "We believe that Apple may be intentionally forcing users to use their repair services, which cost much more than most third party repair shops, where you could get your screen replaced by a neighborhood repair facility for $50-80, Apple charges $129 or more. There is an incentive for Apple to keep end users from finding alternative methods to fix their products. That is wrong, and we hope to prove that it violates various consumer protection laws in the United States".
As of now everything is just in the air only and no lawsuit has been filed against the company yet, but the Apple need to respond quickly unless it is too late.