Apple Sued: Hidden iPhone Repair Costs Violate Washington Law?

Case Overview: Apple is facing a lawsuit in Washington state for allegedly violating the Telephone Buyers’ Protection Act (TBPA) by failing to clearly disclose repair costs and warranty information on iPhone packaging before purchase.

Consumers Affected: Individuals who purchased iPhones in Washington state.

Court: U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California

Apple is facing a new lawsuit that claims the tech giant is misleading iPhone customers about how much it costs to repair their devices. 

Filed in Washington state, the proposed class action accuses Apple of leaving out legally required information about repair charges and warranty terms, allegedly violating the state’s Telephone Buyers’ Protection Act (TBPA), a consumer protection law that dates back to 1984.

At the core of the complaint is Apple’s iPhone packaging and in-store displays, which allegedly don’t tell customers who’s responsible for repairs, what those repairs cost, or what warranty coverage the phones come with. The lawsuit says that’s not just misleading—it’s illegal.

Apple Accused of Concealing iPhone Repair Costs

Cassaundra Maxwell, a Washington resident, filed the proposed class action lawsuit after she bought an iPhone 14 from Costco in 2023. She says she wouldn’t have paid full price—or may not have bought the phone at all—if she’d known how much repairs would cost or what Apple’s warranty actually covered.

Maxwell claims Apple’s failure to disclose those details led to a financial loss. She wants Apple to change its packaging and advertising practices to comply with the law so that she and other customers can make fully informed purchases.

Washington State Law Requires Upfront Disclosure, Lawsuit Claims

Washington’s TBPA requires companies selling phone equipment to clearly disclose five key pieces of information before the sale. That includes the repair policy, repair costs, warranty terms, and some technical details. 

The law was created to help customers make informed choices in a competitive market and was backed by public interest groups like WashPIRG.

According to the lawsuit, Apple doesn’t include this information on iPhone boxes or in stores and that’s a violation. For example, the cost to fix a cracked screen on an iPhone 14 Pro is $329, and if the back glass is damaged too, that repair climbs to $599. None of that is listed on the packaging.

The company also offers a one-year limited warranty, but the suit claims Apple fails to disclose those terms before purchase, in violation of the TBPA.

Apple's Mounting Legal Challenges

This isn’t Apple’s only courtroom headache. The company is also facing a lawsuit claiming its Apple Watch bands contain harmful levels of PFAS “forever chemicals,” another alleging it enabled scam crypto apps on the App Store, and a $95 million proposed settlement over claims Siri secretly recorded users.

A major antitrust trial over the App Store is also set for 2026, and Apple has been hit with a lawsuit over defective AirPods Pro. 

In her lawsuit against the company, Maxwell wants to represent anyone who bought an iPhone in Washington. 

Case Details

• Lawsuit: Julian Bargo v. Apple, Inc. et al.
• Case Number: 5:25-cv-03315-SVK
• Court: U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California 

Plaintiffs' Attorneys

• Michael T. Houchin (Crosner Legal, P.C.)   

Did you buy an iPhone in Washington? Were repair costs and warranty clear to you before purchase? Share your experience below.