AirPods Max: Class action lawsuit over alleged damage caused by sweat fails | News

With closed headphones such as the AirPods Max from Apple, condensation can form due to their design. The reason: The warm microclimate under the ear pads stimulates sweat production, and the moisture can then condense inside the devices. This can lead to defects in the electronics, among other things, so manufacturers usually counter this phenomenon with appropriate design measures. In the case of the AirPods Max, reports emerged shortly after their release in December 2020 that Apple had not done enough in this regard (see ). The accusation is that condensation often causes damage to the high-end headphones from Cupertino.

Class action lawsuit over alleged defects in AirPods Max
Eventually there were a few lawsuits against Apple. In 2025, two affected parties, Arthur Apicella from New York and Dustin Amundson from Washington state, even filed a class action lawsuit. Both plaintiffs argued that the condensation was the result of a serial defect in the AirPods Max. The moisture leads, among other things, to connection difficulties and poor sound quality as well as to the failure of wearer detection. There are also problems with the battery, according to the justification for the lawsuit. At no time did Apple comment on these and the numerous other allegations that were made, including that the Californian company had unjustly enriched itself in the case of the AirPods Max.

Court rejects almost all claims
The lawsuit was filed in the US District Court for the Eastern District of New York. This has now decided to dismiss almost all of the complaints. This is reported by Law360 (paywall). New York State law does not require that a product be perfect or meet all of a customer’s expectations, said federal judge Orelia E. Merchant. She therefore completely rejected Arthur Apicella’s demands.

The process may still continue
The decision was somewhat different in the case of Dustin Amundson. His claims regarding unjust enrichment and guarantee were also rejected. However, his case may continue because Washington state law, which applies to it, allows consumers certain warranty claims. Amundson has until early August to decide whether to pursue his lawsuit. What remains clear, however, is that Apple has emerged from the legal dispute largely unscathed because of its rejection of the main allegations.