Apple braces for a lawsuit after blocking messages from Android devices

Apple must face a class-action lawsuit alleging that the company failed to disclose that the use of iMessage and Messages would result in undelivered messages if an iPhone user switched to a non-Apple device.US District Judge Lucy Koh gave the go-ahead for plaintiff Adrienne Moore to "allege that Apple’s intentional acts have caused an 'actual breach or disruption of the contractual relationship.'" Among other claims, Moore alleged that the way iMessage could break SMS functionality on non-Apple phones would be a factor in iPhone owners' future buying decisions, keeping them potentially locked to Apple products. Apple, meanwhile, argued that since it relies on carriers to provide service, it has no incentive to upset them by disrupting the SMS feature on their products. Although the court decided Moore's case against Apple for interfering with her contract had some merit, it dismissed several other claims based on the California Consumers Legal Remedies Act and alleged unfair business practices. The legal charges come days after Apple finally released a web tool to deregister phone numbers from iMessage, easing the transition from iOS to rival devices.