Apple Inc. has managed to persuade a U.S. judge to strike down certain claims within a class-action lawsuit. The legal action was initiated last year by nine consumers hailing from seven different states. These consumers contended that the first-generation AirPods Pro, which were sold by Apple from 2019 to 2022, suffered from sound quality flaws. They also claimed that Apple had made false advertisements regarding the noise-cancellation features of these earbuds and had not been transparent about the said flaws.

On Tuesday of this week (local time), Judge Noel Wise, presiding over the Federal District Court in San Jose, sided with Apple. He dismissed the claims rooted in the nationwide consumer protection law, product warranty provisions, and California's 'unjust enrichment' principle. The reason cited was the plaintiffs' failure to present adequate factual substantiation. Nevertheless, the judge permitted the plaintiffs to press forward with the accusation that 'Apple withheld crucial information about the sound quality of AirPods.' This particular aspect still necessitates further legal proceedings.

Apple had earlier declared the lawsuit to be without merit and refuted any allegations of wrongdoing. Meanwhile, the attorneys representing the plaintiffs expressed their approval of the judge's decision. The judge has granted the plaintiffs a 21-day window to file an amended complaint, incorporating additional facts, in order to keep the case alive.