Man Sues Apple Over Multi-Million Dollar Divorce, Blaming Synced MessagesA British man, referred to as "Richard" for anonymity, is suing Apple , claiming the company's ecosystem contributed to his multi-million dollar divorce .
However, he did not account for the automatic synchronization of iMessages across Apple devices.
Legal Action Against Apple Richard is now seeking over £5 million in damages from Apple, including legal costs.
This feature, designed for user convenience, meant that Richard's deleted messages were still visible on the family iMac.
Since his divorce, Richard has heard of similar issues affecting others.
Man Sues Apple Over Multi-Million Dollar Divorce, Blaming Synced Messages
A British man, referred to as "Richard" for anonymity, is suing Apple , claiming the company's ecosystem contributed to his multi-million dollar divorce . Richard, a middle-aged businessman, alleges that Apple's failure to clearly inform users about message syncing between devices led to the discovery of his infidelity and subsequent divorce.
Richard had been using his iPhone to arrange meetings with prostitutes during the last years of his marriage. He believed he was covering his tracks by deleting these messages. However, he did not account for the automatic synchronization of iMessages across Apple devices. When his wife accessed the family iMac, she found a history of deleted messages revealing his activities.
Within a month of discovering these messages, Richard’s wife filed for divorce. Richard claims this sudden and brutal revelation could have been avoided if he had been aware of the messages-syncing feature. He argues that clearer warnings from Apple might have allowed him to address the issue with his wife more rationally, potentially saving his marriage, The Sunday Times report mentioned.
Legal Action Against Apple Richard is now seeking over £5 million in damages from Apple, including legal costs. He asserts that Apple did not make it clear that deleted messages on an iPhone could still be accessible on other linked devices. He has engaged the London law firm Rosenblatt to pursue the case and is looking into establishing a class action lawsuit, believing that others may have experienced similar issues.
Messages in Apple’s ecosystem can be synchronized across devices using the same iCloud account. This feature, designed for user convenience, meant that Richard's deleted messages were still visible on the family iMac. Apple’s support documentation states that messages deleted from one device can affect others configured to work with iCloud Messages.
Richard contends that Apple’s messaging system misled him by not clearly stating that messages would be deleted only from the device used for deletion. He argues that clearer warnings could have prevented the exposure of his infidelity.
The fallout from the divorce has significantly impacted Richard's health. He has been prescribed strong beta blockers to manage panic attacks and has feared for his heart health due to the stress. Financially, the divorce has cost him over £5 million, a loss he attributes to Apple's unclear communication about message deletion.
Since his divorce, Richard has heard of similar issues affecting others. One example involved a father’s messages appearing on his teenage son’s iMac, while another case saw messages popping up on an Apple TV being watched by a spouse. These incidents highlight potential privacy concerns with Apple’s message syncing feature.
