Amazon ‘bricked’ older Fire TV Sticks to push customers to purchase new fashions, lawsuit claims | EUROtoday

A California man has filed a category motion lawsuit accusing Amazon of deliberately slowing or disabling older Fire TV Sticks after ending software program help, whereas encouraging prospects to improve to newer fashions.

The lawsuit, filed in California state courtroom by plaintiff Bill Merewhuader on Tuesday, targets Amazon over its first- and second-generation Fire TV Sticks launched in 2014 and 2016.

The criticism says Amazon promoted the units as a fast strategy to stream providers like Prime Video and Netflix, however later stopped offering key software program updates wanted to maintain them working correctly. Both Amazon.com Inc. and Amazon.com Services LLC are named as defendants.

Merewhuader claims Amazon stopped offering updates for first-generation units in December 2022 and ended help for second-generation fashions in March 2023.

This determination triggered efficiency issues, together with extreme lag, buffering, and in some circumstances full inoperability, described within the submitting as “bricking,” the place the {hardware} stays intact, however the machine can now not perform as meant, in response to the criticism.

The go well with argues that Amazon didn’t adequately disclose the restricted lifespan of software program help on the time of buy. It additionally alleges the corporate did not warn customers that important options might degrade or be eliminated after updates ended. Instead, the go well with claims, affected customers have been left with out refunds or restore choices and have been successfully pushed towards buying newer Fire TV Stick fashions.

Merewhuader says he personally purchased second-generation Fire TV Sticks in 2018 however skilled vital efficiency points inside a couple of years, main him to switch them in 2024.

The lawsuit seeks to symbolize a nationwide class of Fire TV Stick patrons and to get well damages, restitution and different aid, together with an order to cease the alleged conduct, reimbursement of authorized charges, and a requirement that Amazon compensate affected prospects.

The Independent has contacted Merewhuader’s legal professionals and Amazon for remark.