This class action concerns the performance of smartphones from Samsung Electronics America, Inc. and Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. The complaint for this class action alleges that certain models of Samsung smartphones have a mobile app called Game Optimizing Service (GOS) that permits them to engage in a practice called “benchmark cheating” by running at faster speeds when benchmarking apps are present but to throttle back power and other resources at other times.
The National Class for this action is all persons or entities who bought a Samsung device containing the GOS app and who opted out of, or are otherwise not subject to, the Arbitration Agreement in Samsung’s Terms and Conditions. A Missouri Subclass has also been defined, for all those in the above class who bought their Samsung device in Missouri.
The products at issue are various models of smartphones containing the GOS app, including models and versions of the S10, S20, S21, and S22, and versions designated as FE, Ultra, Plus, or the like.
The GOS app has the purpose of limiting, or throttling, access to the smartphones’ processing and other resources, supposedly to prevent overheating and lengthen battery life. But the complaint alleges that the point is to cheat—that is, to run at faster speeds than they normally do when they detect benchmarking apps used by reviewers and others to measure the speed and performance of the devices, and to cut back when they are used in a real-world context.
The point of the deception? The complaint alleges that smartphone makers must offer both faster speeds and longer battery life in order to be competitive. “However,” the complaint alleges, “knowing it cannot deliver as promised, Samsung intentionally programmed its Devices to cheat benchmark apps, and to create false perceptions regarding the speed, performance, and battery life of these Devices.”
The point, the complaint claims, was to make up for the fact that the batteries in the devices cannot deliver the power and long life demanded by Samsung’s hardware and software. The false performances, the complaint alleges, give the impression that that the devices always ran that fast, to create demand for its products, and to justify high prices for the devices.
According to the complaint, the deception comes at the expense of consumers, because Samsung gets to advertise higher speeds and extended battery life, while in normal usage, the devices are limited in their access to their fastest processing cores, slowing down for everyday tasks such as web browsing and gaming.
Article Type: LawsuitTopic: Consumer
Most Recent Case Event
Samsung Devices Cheat on Benchmarking, Says Complaint
July 13, 2022
This class action concerns the performance of smartphones from Samsung Electronics America, Inc. and Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. The complaint for this class action alleges that certain models of Samsung smartphones have a mobile app called Game Optimizing Service (GOS) that permits them to engage in a practice called “benchmark cheating” by running at faster speeds when benchmarking apps are present but to throttle back power and other resources at other times.
Samsung Devices Run Cheat on Benchmarking, Says ComplaintCase Event History
Samsung Devices Cheat on Benchmarking, Says Complaint
July 13, 2022
This class action concerns the performance of smartphones from Samsung Electronics America, Inc. and Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. The complaint for this class action alleges that certain models of Samsung smartphones have a mobile app called Game Optimizing Service (GOS) that permits them to engage in a practice called “benchmark cheating” by running at faster speeds when benchmarking apps are present but to throttle back power and other resources at other times.
Samsung Devices Run Cheat on Benchmarking, Says Complaint