Will offer new units instead of refurbs

Apple Korea has agreed to change the way it handles replacing defective iPads and iPods in the country, reports say. Until recently, people bringing in faulty hardware would typically get a refurbished device if a replacement was needed. Apple has been persuaded by South Korea's Fair Trade Commission, however, to follow local laws, and will now replace defective iPads and iPods with entirely new units for a period of up to one month after purchase.

The warranty policy towards iPhones sold in the country was changed last September, again after pressure from the FTC. Refurbished Apple products typically have new batteries and shells, but are otherwise unchanged from when they were sold, which could theoretically put the hardware at greater risk of breaking down. Apple is believed to use refurbs as replacements in many places around the world, including the US.

by MacNN Staff