Korean family sues Apple over blocked iPhone repair
updated 10:55 am EST, Fri December 24, 2010
Company offered settlement with gag order
A South Korean family is suing Apple citing unfair repair policies, says the Korea Herald. In October the father of the family, Lee Chul-ho, asked Apple for approximately $251 in compensation after it refused to repair his daughter's iPhone 3G. Apple is said to have blocked a free warranty repair on the basis that the phone's water sensors were tripped; the family denies causing any water damage.
Apple is reported to have tried to settling with the family out of court, but with a gag order preventing them from talking to the media. The family resisted, and claims that the main goal is not to get their own financial compensation, but to ensure that other people can get money back from Apple for unfairly paid repair costs. "There is no point of raising the suit if only one individual gets compensation," says Chul-ho.
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Jun 2007
Common story
We see people bring in equipment all the time that claim that nothing got inside the machine. Open it up and liquid everywhere.
It doesn't take much moisture to trip the sensors. But Apple has put multiple sensors in the devices, so moisture needs to hit multiple places for them to deny warranty. If they are all tripped, you have used the device in an area with too high humidity or you got it wet. (don't take it in the shower with you!!)