After users discovered Apple's iMessage platform contained an alleged “bug” that prevented users from receiving some text messages after switching to an Android phone, some former Apple customers filed a lawsuit alleging Apple's actionswere illegal. Apple has been fighting off the claims, mostly in secret, even as they launched a tool to help customers make the transition from iPhones to Android smartphones. The stakes may have ratcheted up a bit recently as both Google and AT&T have filed motions with the federal courts to access materials being filed during the lawsuit's discovery phase.
AT&T's involvement is noteworthy as previous reports from Apple and AT&T employees have claimed Android phones were returned by customers so they could go back to an iPhone after trying to switch. Depending on how well this can be proved, Apple could be facing some additional claims related to interfering with the market and consumer protections. Thus far the claimants in the lawsuit are focused on showing Apple accessed text messages improperly or illegally and violated laws like the Stored Communications Act and the Federal Wiretap Act.
Court watchers have noted the tech giants have specifically requested an email sent to CEO Tim Cook on April 28, 2013, amongst a group of internal communications. The list of individuals who have provided affidavits, depositions or other information includes lots of engineers and software experts and these are the individuals Google and AT&T are focused on thus far, suggesting the companies are not only seeking to figure out who knew what and when, but technically how Apple was identifying and stopping messages intended for Android phone users.
source: Business Insider
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