MDL for Apple iPhone Performance Class Actions Established in California

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation has established a centralized docket in California for all federal lawsuits accusing Apple Inc. of releasing an iPhone update in early 2017 that reduced the performance and battery life of older devices.

In an order issued April 4, the JPML noted that discovery regarding the engineering of iPhones and its operating system updates is likely to be technical and complex. That, along with the similarity among claims asserted in the pending class actions filed against Apple, make the litigation well-suited for MDL coordination.

The panel assigned the docket to Judge Edward …