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Class action lawsuit alleges Apple intentionally hid MacBook defects

Published Jan 16th, 2015 7:30PM EST

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Remember that massive 2011 MacBook Pro graphics problem that affected thousands of users where Apple failed to provide a definitive fix? Unhappy 2011 MacBook Pro owners eventually took matters into their own hands by taking Apple to court in a class action suit in late October. AppleInsider has discovered more details about the progress of the lawsuit, as the law firm handling the case recently contacted members to uncover more interesting details, including the fact that Apple may have willfully tried to conceal the defects.

FROM EARLIER: Apple taken to court over 2011 MacBook Pro flaw affecting thousands of buyers

“Specifically, we allege that between early- and late-2011, Apple released a software update that dramatically reduced the graphical performance of the GPUs in order to prevent them from reaching temperatures that would cause the GPUs to effectively self destruct,” law firm Whitfield, Bryson & Mason LLP said in a note.

The firm also revealed that the suit has expanded to include California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Puerto Rico and Vermont.

Furthermore, the firm added that some members of the suit volunteered their hardware for testing, with a computer expert having been hired to perform tests on the faulty MacBook Pros.

Apple is expected to file a motion to dismiss the case on January 29th, and Whitfield, Bryson & Mason should respond with its own filling on March 5th. The case should be heard in early April before Judge Edward J. Davila of the Northern District of California.

More details about the major 2011 MacBook Pro issue are available at this link, complete with other resources for owners of such devices (15-inch and 17-inch models only) who might be interested in this particular legal action against Apple.

Chris Smith Senior Writer

Chris Smith has been covering consumer electronics ever since the iPhone revolutionized the industry in 2008. When he’s not writing about the most recent tech news for BGR, he brings his entertainment expertise to Marvel’s Cinematic Universe and other blockbuster franchises.

Outside of work, you’ll catch him streaming almost every new movie and TV show release as soon as it's available.