04/01, 1:17pm
Complaints about iPhone replacements force response
Apple CEO Tim Cook has posted an open letter to Chinese customers, announcing changes to the company's warranty policies in the country. He explains that in the past couple of weeks the company has received a number of complaints, particularly in relation to the iPhone 4 and 4S. The people charged that while customers elsewhere were getting full replacements for faulty hardware, Chinese customers were only getting repairs using replacement parts.
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03/19, 11:38am
Says Apple breaking law in 21 European countries
Apple is still failing to tell consumers about their warranty rights in many European Union countries, says EU Justice Commissioner Viviane Reding. Last September Reding sent a letter to various governments encouraging them to take action against Apple to make sure it obeyed EU warranty laws. But the case and the responses to her letter "have highlighted rather clearly just why the Commission cannot sit on the side-lines on enforcement issues," Reding said in a speech today, as reported by Dow Jones. "The approaches to enforcement in these types of cases turn out to be very diversified and inconsistent at a national level. In at least 21 EU Member States Apple is not informing consumers correctly about the legal warranty rights they have. This is simply not good enough."
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03/18, 11:40am
Some Apple workers allegedly told not to talk about new rights
Apple has extended the default warranty on its products in Australia from one year to two years, but retail staff are being told not to advertise that fact, the Sydney Morning Herald reports. In January 2011 a new Australian Consumer Law came into force, mandating that many products come with a warranty of "reasonable" length, even if a manufacturer's stated warranty has expired. What constitutes a reasonable length has been left flexible, but the country's Competition and Consumer Commission recommends that for a product like an expensive TV, the period can be up to two years.
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01/15, 3:27am
Case is similar to Italian ruling on two-year warranties
Apple's practice of selling AppleCare extended warranties by advertising that it covers the unit for "an additional two years" has once again gotten the company in trouble in Europe, where local laws automatically extend warranties to two years. A lawsuit has been filed in Belgium that mirrors a case Apple lost in Italy over the issue. Apple changed its policy in Italy and paid a fine as a result of the ruling, but hasn't changed practices in all EU countries.
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12/21, 12:31pm
Complaint otherwise resolved
Italian regulators have issued Apple a final fine 200,000 euros, or about $264,000, over the company's handling of AppleCare warranties, reports say. Although the Autorità Garante della Concorrenza e del Mercato notes that Apple has since fixed its warranty policies, it states that between March 28 and November 10, the company was continuing to fraudulently suggest that an AppleCare plan was needed for two years of warranty coverage, when in reality local laws guarantee that as a minimum. Apple was fined €900,000 ($1.2 million) in March when the Italian government began cracking down on AppleCare marketing.
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11/13, 5:20pm
Option still being sold online
Confirming yesterday's leak, Apple has officially stopped selling AppleCare in first- and third-party Italian retail stores, Reuters reports. An Apple spokesman explains that the policy has actually been in effect since November 9th. People can still buy AppleCare in Italy, but only through Apple's website. An updated notice on the site explains that "AppleCare Protection Plan benefits are in addition to two-year warranty from the seller under the Italian legislation to protect consumers."
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11/12, 11:44am
Modified online option may be only remaining plan
Apple is removing AppleCare as an option from Apple Stores and third-party retailers in Italy, a leaked email indicates. The message is said to come from Apple Distribution International in Ireland, and adds that Apple is planning to discontinue phone-based AppleCare services in the country. With those options excluded, it appears that the only way of getting AppleCare in the country will be buying it online.
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10/01, 11:08am
European Commission limited in its own power to affect situation
The European Union's Justice Commissioner, Viviane Reding, has asked the 27 countries in the Union to look into Apple's warranty policies, Bloomberg reports. Letters sent to the countries specifically ask that they check whether Apple retailers have failed to advertise that customers have a right to a two-year warranty. "Apple prominently advertised that its products come with a one-year manufacturer warranty but failed to clearly indicate the consumers’ automatic and free-of-cost entitlement to a minimum two-year guarantee under EU law," the letters read. "These are unacceptable marketing practices."
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08/07, 11:06am
'Internal policies were not followed'
Apple has issued an official response to reports about Wired writer Mat Honan having his iCloud account broken into via AppleCare. "Apple takes customer privacy seriously and requires multiple forms of verification before resetting an Apple ID password," the company tells Wired. "In this particular case, the customer’s data was compromised by a person who had acquired personal information about the customer. In addition, we found that our own internal policies were not followed completely. We are reviewing all of our processes for resetting account passwords to ensure our customers’ data is protected."
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08/06, 9:37am
Mistake wipes out Wired writer's digital footprint
A writer for Wired, Mat Honan, says he has confirmed with both Apple and the hacker that victimized him that his iCloud account was recently compromised by a "social engineering" trick with AppleCare. The hacker managed to get an AppleCare support staffer to skip security questions, and then reset Honan's password, giving the hacker complete access to anything tied to Honan's iCloud account or email address. This included not only personal and Gizmodo Twitter accounts, but also Honan's Gmail account, which was completely wiped out. Making matters even more severe, the hacker used Find My iPhone to perform remote wipes of Honan's Mac, iPhone, and iPad.
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07/18, 11:24am
Regulators focus on AppleCare warranty
Apple is currently facing yet another international lawsuit over its AppleCare extended warranties. The Portuguese Association for Consumer Protection (DECO) is said to have announced plans to sue the company for misleading customers into paying for unnecessary coverage, as local laws already require electronics manufacturers to honor warranty claims for a period of two years, according to Portuguese blog iPhoneTuga.
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07/03, 6:44pm
Says it is in compliance with two-year warranty law
Apple has rebuffed the complaint of Italy's AGCM antitrust regulatory authority and says it is in compliance with Italian law that mandates two years of original warranty coverage on computer and electronic equipment, and that it will appeal a recent ruling that threatened Apple with a temporary shutdown in the country if it did not more clearly offer a free two-year warranty with its products as required by European Union law.
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07/02, 2:50pm
Company still breaking local law, government says
Apple could face additional fines of up to 300,000 euros (about $377,500) and even temporary closure of its Italian operations if it doesn't start offering free two-year warranties, as required by local law, Reuters reports. Italy's AGCM, which regulates competition and markets, has already fined Apple 900,000 euros over the warranty issue. But months later, it complains that Apple is still failing to comply with demands, and says that the company's Italian division could be shut down for up to 30 days if it doesn't respond with the next 30.
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03/30, 5:10pm
Quiet change in response to legal problems
Apple has silently updated its European websites -- such as the one for the UK -- with a table on the differences between Apple's warranties and ones mandated by the European Union, reports observe. The document is divided into columns for EU law, the default warranties for Apple products, and extended AppleCare coverage. The most contentious point has been that EU law covers two years, whereas Apple only promises one without AppleCare.
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03/22, 7:30pm
Fine of $1.2 million upheld
Apple has lost an appeal in Italy over the terminology used in its AppleCare agreements sold in that country, and will face fines totalling $1.2 million for what the Italian Antitrust Authority deemed "bad commercial policies" and not properly informing buyers of differences between Italian warranty law and Apple's preferred policies. Manufacturer warranties in Italy are required to last two years, a fact Apple has ignored in promoting its AppleCare warranties, the agency found.
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03/19, 1:40pm
Italian case could be first of many
European consumer groups in 11 countries -- including Italy and Germany -- have issued letters to national regulators, asking them to put a stop to the way Apple currently markets its warranties, Bloomberg reports. Apple typically markets its products as having one-year warranties unless a person buys into an AppleCare plan. Under European Union regulations, though, manufacturers are obligated to cover a product for at least two years, making Apple's marketing potentially misleading.
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03/07, 3:50pm
New AppleCare option covers device, peripherals
In tandem with announcing a third-generation iPad, Apple has also brought its AppleCare+ warranty option to the tablet. By default an iPad is only given a limited one-year warranty, with 90 days of free support. Paying $99 extends coverage up to two years, and allows for two incidents of accidental damage, although in each instance a $49 service fee still applies.
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03/06, 11:40pm
Apple TV upgrade to keep prices
Apple's imminent Apple TV update received its price in a last-minute rumor Tuesday night. It would keep the $99 price of before in 9to5's tip. Also mentioned was a $39 price for an unknown accessory with a B82 model number, likely a reference to a new video adapter cable.
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01/31, 6:40pm
Blog post leads to phoney 'takedown' notice
A blogger who has had ongoing difficulty with an AppleCare transfer on a replacement monitor received a rare admission from the company that it suffered some form of system failure in its AppleCare database recently. Upon reporting this and urging readers to revisit their own AppleCare profiles, writer David Boles now claims to have received a warning letter from Apple.
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01/27, 10:50am
Web link details two-year minimum warranty
Apple has posted a link on its Italian web store, acknowledging its legal dispute with the local government over AppleCare warranties. The link -- simply titled "Communication to protect consumers" -- takes visitors to a PDF file, detailing the government's decision, which resulted in a €900,000 fine. Apple normally only provides a one-year AppleCare warranty for free, but Italian law grants shoppers a minimum of two years of coverage, which Apple is being asked to guarantee by March.
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12/30, 12:10pm
PR person insists company is following Italian law
Apple will appeal a €900,000 fine levied by the Italian government, a PR representative tells The Register. The spokesperson insists that the company is complying with Italian law. Under local regulations, businesses are required to give two years of free warranty support. Apple, though, only provides a one-year warranty by default, requiring buyers to buy an AppleCare package for anything extra.
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12/27, 9:50am
Italy says Apple help was unclear
Italy's Antitrust Authority said it would fine Apple 900,000 euros, or about $1.2 million, after deciding that the company had conducted "bad commercial practices" with its support. The American firm had reportedly been "unclear" on payments for its extended AppleCare warranty, which earned about 500,000 euros ($650,000) of the fine. The remaining 400,000 euros were for not properly informing customers about how long the warranties would last.
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12/02, 2:55pm
Current topics from the forums
Today in Macnn forums members are discussing the limits of an AppleCare warranty when used with a defected iPhone with Jailbreak, click here to join in. A discussion about converting YouTube videos to MP3s and other compatible formats has been continuing for quite some time, and can be found here.
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10/13, 8:00pm
Trade-in program makes discount possible
[Updated with trade-in details, new Sprint offer] RadioShack stores around the country are now accepting pre-orders on both black and white iPhone 4S models in all capacities with service from either AT&T or Verizon. The company will also accept Sprint pre-orders for the iPhone 4 8GB in black and white today and tomorrow only. RadioShack is using its Trade & Save program to offer customers the option of shaving up to $200 off the price the new iPhone.
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10/13, 7:25pm
Sprint to introduce green, yellow, red categories
A Sprint rep wrote in to Engadget detailing new changes to repair procedures. Since ending the Total Equipment Protection plans, damaged iPhone 4S units will fall into one of three categories. They include green, yellow and red and will be assigned after a diagnosis.
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10/11, 1:20pm
Options for adding plan unclear
Apple is halting a policy of occasionally waiving the replacement fee for damaged, out-of-warranty iPhones, an Apple Store source claims. For some time the company has allowed Genius Bar workers to toss out the $199 replacement fee as a "one-time exception," the source explains. With the advent of AppleCare+, however, Geniuses will allegedly be blocked from offering free replacements at all. The AppleCare+ plan offers extended warranty coverage, but unless a phone is defective people must pay $49 each time for the first two repairs/replacements, and a higher amount if anything should happen afterward.
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10/09, 10:25pm
Sprint moves on iPhone 4S insurance, shipping
An internal staff memo has warned Sprint iPhone buyers that they won't have its typical Total Equipment Protection insurance. Customers who buy the phone but need help will only be offered direct replacements when they qualify, SprintFeed has learned. Accidents and repairs will instead have to go through Apple, such as through its AppleCare+ plan.
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10/04, 4:40pm
AppleCare+ covers two iPhone accidents
Apple is now seeding a Gold Master release of iOS 5 to developers. The code is effectively the finished version of the firmware, but should give developers a headstart on testing app compatibility. It also gives Apple a chance to fix any show-stopping bugs that might have survived earlier testing, however unlikely. The public release of iOS 5 is scheduled for October 12th.
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09/13, 1:15pm
May point to timing of iOS 5, iPhone 5 launches
AppleCare workers are being told to be prepare for a surge of iOS-related questions starting on Monday, October 10th, a source claims. In particular, the person tells AppleInsider that his local AppleCare call center is being instructed to expect eight times as much traffic. What if anything Apple might be introducing on that day is uncertain, but given the timing, it could be iOS 5 and/or iCloud.
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05/27, 11:50am
European rules guarantee two years of coverage
AppleCare may be violating the European Union's consumer protection laws, Italian officials suggest. The Italian government is said to be probing Apple's support plan because of European warranty laws, which guarantee at least two years of coverage on personal electronics. By default, Apple products include only a one-year warranty; AppleCare costs an extra fee, and only then extends coverage to two years on average, or three in the case of Macs and Cinema Displays.
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03/05, 11:55am
ATT unlimited on iPad 2, TechTool exits AppleCar
AT&T today offered a brief update confirming that it would still honor those with unlimited data plans for the iPad 2. The carrier is treating its tablet data much as it would other grandfathered plans and will let adopters of the new Apple tablet keep their service, an Engadget reader was told. Unlimited costs $30 per month and was only available for two months before AT&T began capping data with a cheaper 2GB plan.
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02/17, 5:45pm
MobileMe not selling, person says
An anonymous Apple Store employee has come forward to Popular Mechanics with some information about working in the retail chain, which normally imposes a veil of secrecy. The person foremost claims that workers are kept "completely in the dark" about new products until they're announced during a keynote, at which point employees may gather around to watch, or else use it as an excuse to take time off. On launch days Apple is said to pay large bonuses for long hours, and in some cases provide extras like food.
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11/05, 7:50am
Xserve gone Jan 31 in push to Mac Pro, Mac mini
Apple today sent notice that it was phasing out the Xserve. The rackmount server will be discontinued as of January 31, 2011, and the currently available 160GB, 1TB and 2TB Apple Drive Modules will ship through the end of 2011 or until stock runs out. The company plans to honor AppleCare warranties and will have repair parts for up to seven years in California and five years in the rest of the world.
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11/03, 9:40am
Tight limits apply
Apple has slightly loosened the restrictions of its AppleCare warranty plans, a leaked memo shows. Retroactive to October 28th, people who want to can now transfer any existing AppleCare plan to a new product. Previously, Apple notes, people would simply have to buy a new AppleCare term unless both products were iPhones. iPhone plans have been transferable since June 23rd.
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