Court Approves 241M Shekel Class Action Against Apple Importer iCon and iDigital
A 241 million shekel class action was approved against Apple's official Israeli importer iCon and iDigital over keeping replaced AirPods and MacBook parts.
A class-action lawsuit estimated at 241 million shekels has been approved against iCon, the official Apple importer in Israel, and its subsidiary iDigital, over the retention of old parts during repairs. Central District Court Judge Carmit Ben Eliezer ruled that the companies may be violating consumer protection regulations by keeping replaced parts from AirPods and MacBooks without obtaining explicit written waivers from customers.
The Legal Battle Over Replaced Components
The lawsuit was filed by Aviel Avni, represented by attorney Ben Zion Citrin, after he repaired his AirPods and MacBook at iDigital and was told that his old charging case and screen would not be returned. According to the plaintiff, company representatives claimed this practice aligns with global Apple policies, where defective components are sent back to the manufacturer. However, the plaintiff argues that under Israeli consumer protection regulations, the replaced part legally belongs to the customer, who has the right to take it home or leave it in exchange for a repair discount.
The class action covers anyone who repaired AirPods or MacBooks at the companies' laboratories after the warranty expired, during the seven years prior to the lawsuit and until the final verdict. The preliminary estimated damage of 241 million shekels is based on iCon's sales volume over this period, translating to an estimated loss of around 500 shekels per MacBook screen replacement and 100 to 150 shekels per AirPods charging case.
Apple's Policy Versus Consumer Rights
The lawsuit alleges that iCon returns the old parts to Apple to receive financial credits, while Apple refurbishes them for reuse. The plaintiff contends that customers are being deprived of valuable hardware components without receiving corresponding discounts or clear written consent forms. During the proceedings, the judge noted that the defense failed to present any signed forms where customers formally waived their rights to the replaced parts.
The few claims that were approved deal with theoretical arguments disconnected from reality, as they lack any real consumer demand or logic.
In response, the iCon and iDigital group stated that they are reviewing the court's decision, emphasizing that the court dismissed most of the lawsuit's grounds and criticized the petitioner's conduct. The companies maintain that repair prices already factor in discounts related to returned parts and that the interim ruling does not entail any immediate financial compensation or established damages.
