Kerala consumer panel orders Google to pay over ₹1.1 lakh in foldable phone case

A district consumer commission in Kasaragod, Kerala, has directed Google to compensate a customer over defects in a foldable phone, in an order that faults the company for reversing an approved warranty claim.

The commission ordered a refund of ₹88,331 — the price the complainant paid for the device — along with 9% annual interest from December 27, 2025, the date the fault was first reported, until payment is made. It also awarded ₹20,000 as compensation and ₹3,000 towards litigation costs, taking the total to more than ₹1.1 lakh before interest.

What the complainant alleged

The phone was used mainly by the complainant's wife for work at a Bengaluru-based company. About seven months after purchase, a black line appeared along the crease of the inner screen, and a battery symbol surfaced, pointing to a motherboard problem. The device also had minor scratches on its outer body from ordinary use, which the complainant argued had no connection to the screen or motherboard issues.

When he sought a warranty claim, the support team initially told him the phone qualified for a free replacement. After a service partner collected the device for inspection, the company reversed that decision and refused the claim, citing the scratches. It then sent a repair estimate of ₹1,31,899 — nearly three times the phone's original price.

The complainant did not pay. He said the device eventually stopped working after it was returned to him, and alleged that the screen fault had progressed to a motherboard failure while it was with the brand. He approached the National Consumer Helpline and later the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, seeking a refund or replacement as well as compensation for mental distress and professional disruption.

Commission's findings

The commission held that Google had first accepted the warranty claim and then changed its position, and found that the scratches were unrelated to the internal defect. It described the company's conduct as a deficiency in service. Notices and reminders sent to Google went unanswered, and the company did not appear before the commission, so the case was decided ex-parte.

While passing the order, the commission referred to an earlier matter involving Apple, in which the company had been penalised for denying a warranty claim and attributing the problem to alleged unauthorised handling of a device.

Google has 30 days from the date of the order to comply, failing which the amount will continue to accrue interest.