Discontented iPhone owner sues AT&T, Apple and Steve Jobs

Rather than simply suing Apple, Steve Jobs or AT&T individually, Dongmei Li decided to throw all three under the bus. The suit, which was reportedly filed this week in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York, accused the trio of "price discrimination, underselling, discrimination in rebates, deceptive actions and other wrongdoings for their role in the September 5th price drop on the iPhone." As you'd expect, Li was one of the folks who waited hours on end to be one of the first iPhone owners, and apparently feels quite slighted by the slashing. Purportedly, the plaintiff is hoping to secure "compensatory damages in the amount of $1 million" in addition to other punitive damages, and if you're up for a good laugh, hit the read link to browse through quite a few (more) comical gripes.

[Thanks, Mark]

[wireless.nemo @ Sep 28th 2007 9:10PM]

oh god.. what a waste of time, energy, and money.

[MR @ Sep 28th 2007 10:15PM]

I'd rather see someone sue Apple/AT&T for not giving out unlock code (even to their own customers) and/or bricking the iphone with the update. Not that they'd lose but at least it'd be more interesting to follow.

Suing for price differences? Give me a break.

[DickHardknocks @ Sep 28th 2007 10:48PM]

FOR WHO?

Apple will lose far more than a million dollars defending itself so it will most likely settle out of court.

I'm glad this is happening. I like to see people put their foot down and say I'm not taking this crap from this crappy company anymore.

[Matt E. @ Sep 28th 2007 11:32PM]

"oh god.. what a waste of time, energy, and money."

You must be referring to the all the people who stood in line for the iPhone launch.

(I know this will be lowest rank - yeah!)

[Dave @ Sep 29th 2007 1:02AM]

"this crappy company"

Please name at least one other company that will give you money back on an already purchased item within 2 weeks of a price drop.
Can you come up with even just one?

[Spoon!! @ Sep 29th 2007 4:18AM]

"Please name at least one other company that will give you money back on an already purchased item within 2 weeks of a price drop."

Circuit City, Best Buy, Sears...

AT&T (in CA) lets you return phones in like-new condition within 30-days without a restocking fee... unless that phone is an Apple iPhone. The 14-day price drop and return policy is something Apple forces on retailers.

[Jesse S @ Sep 29th 2007 7:53AM]

Not to mention it's not even real money. It's Apple store credit.

That credit probably made Apple a crap load of money, as a lot of people probably used it as an excuse to buy more Apple products.

Mediocre products, but great business sense. I should add some Apple stock to my portfolio, next to my MS, Sony, Nintendo, and others...

[Dave @ Sep 29th 2007 3:41PM]

The "store credit" was a one time only gift to purchasers *outside* the two week window. The iPhone purchasers who were within the two week period did indeed get "real money."
So do the purchasers of other Apple products when the price drops within two weeks of purchase. I myself received $1000 back in "real money" when the price of the G5 and Cinema Display dropped $500 each a week after I bought them. Yes, you can return products to those stores, after packing it up and getting scrutinized on your return and then you have to turn around and buy something else... But, if you use Windows, I guess you're used to extra hassle...

[DJJS @ Sep 28th 2007 9:12PM]

This Guy Got off the Stupid Bus..

[LukeA @ Sep 28th 2007 9:15PM]

Article says she's a woman, but still a wacko.

[Nex @ Sep 29th 2007 4:07AM]

no i think she drove it...

[Neil Anderson @ Sep 29th 2007 7:48PM]

Next stop Sesame Street.

[Mr Angry @ Sep 28th 2007 9:12PM]

I bet he bricked it with the new update anyway :)

[Andrew Stone @ Sep 28th 2007 9:18PM]

He could afford the phone initially, can't afford the $200 difference, and now can afford the legal fees involved in this frivolous suit?

I hope they counter sue, and win... something from him. They certainly can't take his good sense, and i have the feeling he'll lose his dignity just by filing this.

[Andrew Stone @ Sep 28th 2007 9:22PM]

She, not he. My bad.

[LimboMan @ Sep 28th 2007 9:21PM]

...and you wonder where the reputation of the litigious American comes from!

[LimboMan @ Sep 28th 2007 9:24PM]

(I may be wrong, but is there a country with more pending lawsuits than the US? /capita)

[Chino B @ Sep 28th 2007 9:22PM]

All I can say, have fun losing Woman!!

[tartis99 @ Sep 28th 2007 9:35PM]

What a fool. I guess that no company can lower the price of a product if the stock price is going up. What a waste of court time. I hope that the court rules this to be a frivolous law-suit.

[Gus @ Sep 28th 2007 11:23PM]

Not only does she clearly not understand the dynamics of the stock market, she is also obviously oblivious to evolution of the techy gadgets - price cuts. it really sux to see that there're such stupid people out there that can afford such things, there're so many more deserving people who can't even afford to keep themselves away from hunger. sigh... the humanity...

[Nate the Prophet @ Sep 28th 2007 9:41PM]

How can he possibly sue for over $1M when at most he's out $100 for needing it on the first day...

Frivolous lawsuits are one of the biggest problems in this country. This is why the healthcare system is in such trouble too..so sad.

[Dave @ Sep 29th 2007 1:03AM]

"This is why the healthcare system is in such trouble too"
uh, no it's not. It's the fraudulent practices of insurance companies and doctors.

[=OpportunityFanBoy007 @ Sep 29th 2007 3:52PM]

the poor state of the health care system is a result of both the frivolous law suits AND fraudulent practices of insurance companies and to a lesser extent doctors.

[J.C. @ Sep 28th 2007 9:46PM]

AHAAH, wow, she is an absolute idiot! How can she possibly think that she can get 1 million dollars just for buying a phone early? WTF!?!?!

[anthone @ Sep 28th 2007 9:49PM]

newsflash: there have always been better phones than the iphone. HTC alone has the best line up like the TyTn and youre more open to do whatever you want on it.

[tits @ Sep 28th 2007 10:33PM]

really on topic dude!

[Elliot @ Sep 29th 2007 9:46AM]

i know this is a little off topic, but i've tried my best to use windows mobile phones and they're all crap.
It's the little things like pressing the dial button never performs a predictable task (even when in the contacts window), you cant set reminders at custom times, activesync hasn't been updated since 2002 (and makes my system less stable). I know these are small gripes but these types of things seem to run across the system as a whole.
I've only used Windows Mobile 5 and SmartPhone 2003. According to Engadget the only key differences between WinMo 5 and 6 is the pretty interface and html email. Did they quietly fix all the little problems at the same time?

[jilie @ Sep 29th 2007 11:36AM]

"According to Engadget the only key differences between WinMo 5 and 6 is the pretty interface and html email"
According to engadget... that's the problem..

[MacDaddy9127 @ Sep 28th 2007 9:57PM]

This is the most stupid thing I ever heard of. As a technology fanatic if you decided to by technology when it first comes out you are going to pay a high price for it. Over time prices on the item will go down because they want to make it more affordable to the consumer and new technology will come out. Like when the 2nd generation comes out. They will get rid of the 1 gen iPhone. First of all the was the most stupid thing Steve Jobs did by giving alll previous iPhone customer the 100$ rebate. DONT BUY NEW TECHNOLOGY IF YOU GET UPSET ABOUT PRICE JOBS. ITS GOING TO HAPPEN!

[Jah @ Sep 29th 2007 3:25AM]

Most technology products are available from a number of channels and over time the most efficient channel and volume availability drives down price. And over time with increasing volume the base price can come down as components also become cheaper. Th e problem is that this usually happens after about 6 months. With the iPhone Apple and AT&T control most of the supply chain so a price drop after 2 months does seem a bit strange.

[JD @ Sep 28th 2007 10:00PM]

People gotta understand, that your reading comprehension sucks. The article and three of the posts BEFORE clearly state IT IS A WOMAN. You clearly just post talking out of your racist mouth without thinking or reading in this case.

[endejas @ Sep 30th 2007 9:50AM]

Ummm..

Ignorance != Racism.

Get over yourself.

[Nick @ Sep 28th 2007 10:01PM]

I like that he's seeking a million dollars in compensation for a $200 price drop.

[jbcaro @ Sep 28th 2007 10:03PM]

Like I said elsewhere

BOO F'in HOO

[bugmat @ Sep 28th 2007 10:07PM]

Ah...some BAD press for Apple finally. Maybe it will help to shrink El Nut Jobs head!

[Zorque @ Sep 28th 2007 10:13PM]

Please, please be a fakepost.

[Glazun @ Sep 28th 2007 10:09PM]

What the hell. Apple stop people from illegally unlocking their phones. Lots of companies do that.

Apple give a price drop on their phone a few months after launch.. this is absurdly common in the tech world. Are people going to start suing every company that does a price cut?

Theres always something new around the corner..

[memodude @ Sep 29th 2007 12:58AM]

FYI unlocking is not illegal. Know your rights --> http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/24/know-your-rights-is-it-illegal-to-unlock-my-iphone/

[John Doe @ Sep 29th 2007 11:09AM]

New around th corner yes. New around the corner in 2 months? Fuck no. Apple artificially inflated their prices and dropped them when sales didn't go as high as they wanted. Sorry but no. Most companies don't do this. If most companies did most consumers would say fuck you and walk away. But its Apple. They have a good % of their customers trained like dogs...Apparently not a high enough % since they had to drop the price. Come on people. You are letting uncle Steve down. You should be going out and buying 2, 3, 4 iPhones damn it! Be a true Apple fan. Get those backup units to keep in the car, @ home, @ work.
No what this guy is doing to acting out for feeling like an idiot that he and all the other earlier adopters got played by Apple like a $2 NY whore.

[HyperHacker @ Sep 29th 2007 12:48PM]

"FYI unlocking is not illegal."
How long until it is?

[producerism @ Sep 28th 2007 10:10PM]

i hope all iphone early adopters are this angry, even if just on the inside.

thats what you all get, fanboys! how does it feel, knowing that after all the love and affection you show apple and steve jobs, you are still just peasants, like windows users are to MS.

This lady should take it as an expensive lesson learned. I would follow up with a malpractice lawsuit against the lawyers for even taking the case.

[derek @ Sep 28th 2007 11:04PM]

Umm, what?

[producerism @ Sep 29th 2007 1:37AM]

i hope all iphone early adopters are this angry, even if just on the inside.

thats what you all get, fanboys! how does it feel, knowing that after all the love and affection you show apple and steve jobs, you are still just peasants, like windows users are to MS.

This lady should take it as an expensive lesson learned. I would follow up with a malpractice lawsuit against the lawyers for even taking the case.

[Tiddwaylll @ Sep 28th 2007 10:19PM]

I am thinking John Grisham now.... lol...

[Ed @ Sep 28th 2007 10:25PM]

He's suing them for $1 million when he's actually asking for $200 back. I'm pretty sure that Apple would rather give him an extra $100 than go through with legal costs.

Only in America...

[maciej @ Sep 28th 2007 10:32PM]

Plus your an idiot becuase they already have nukes...and they don't go off indiscriminately...much like your mouth, bigot.

[Ken @ Sep 28th 2007 10:37PM]

iWhine.

[HyperHacker @ Sep 29th 2007 12:49PM]

iLol'd.

[Frank @ Sep 28th 2007 10:37PM]

Who can I sue for time wasted reading this article and it's comments?

[mike henschke @ Sep 28th 2007 10:37PM]

If I were the legal reps for these companies, I would countersue him for all legal costs associated with this case.

Technology always costs more when it first comes out. Look at the v3xx for AT&T. Came out at 179 (after rebate). Now it's free after rebate.

The list goes on.. TVs, radios, computers, dvd players, etc...

If it is such a big deal, he should have waited a few months then purchased the damn phone. If people are this cheap, they shouldn't need the newest technology.