Samsung has faced scrutiny over its Galaxy S22 throttling practices, recently resulting in a court ruling. A Korean court determined that while Samsung was not liable for damages in a class-action lawsuit, it did engage in misleading advertising that could confuse consumers. The controversy surrounding the Galaxy S22 began in early 2022 when it was revealed that Samsung’s Game Optimizing Service (GOS) software was throttling the performance of these phones. Although the court ruled in Samsung’s favor, it acknowledged that the company used deceptive labeling in its marketing, particularly regarding the performance of gaming applications.
Plaintiffs in the lawsuit, representing over 1,800 smartphone owners, argued that they were harmed by Samsung’s actions and sought compensation of approximately $221 each. However, the court concluded that the evidence provided was inadequate to support claims of damages. Reports indicated that the throttling was primarily applied to “high-spec” games, and the court noted that it did not impact the overall performance of the S22 line. The ruling highlighted that consumers might not have considered this throttling as a decisive factor in their purchasing decisions.
Initially, Samsung’s GOS software aimed to mitigate overheating during gaming; however, it controversially restricted performance while not addressing benchmark applications. Following public outcry, the company later provided an update that allowed users to adjust this throttling. Thus, while the court decision offers some relief to Samsung, the implications of its marketing practices raise ongoing questions about transparency and consumer trust.
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