At the beginning of last year, we learned about the Error 53, which rendered iPhones and iPads useless since the exchange of Touch ID had been done in an unofficial way. This error was corrected with the arrival of iOS 9.2.1 and Apple apologized, saying that it should only appear in internal / factory tests.
Even after releasing the update and the devices working again, Touch ID itself was still unavailable and Ma refused to provide any service because users sought unauthorized assistance instead of choosing to fix everything in a store Apple Service Center or an Apple Authorized Service Center. This frustrated many people, of course. In the United States, it ended in a collective action against Apple that, last June, was considered inadequate for the continuation of the process.
Now, more than a year later, this story has surfaced. Still reverberating the case, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, which operates in consumer protection, has sued Apple, claiming that it has made false or misleading representations about consumer rights under Australian consumer law.
Consumer warranty rights under the Australian Consumer Law exist independently of any manufacturer warranty and are not extinguished simply because a consumer has goods repaired by a third party. Denying a consumer their warranty rights simply because they chose third-party service not only impacts them, but can also dissuade other customers in their repair choices, including where they have a lower price than the manufacturer.
Rod Sims, president of the ACCC.
Sims also claims that he "never observed" a similar posture at other manufacturers, since it is very natural for people to look for a cheaper service at third party stores.
The Australian body requires a fine of approximately US $ 829,000 for each violation, as stated by the The Wall Street Journal. Still, the decision is in the hands of the court, which will analyze the case.
For now, Apple remains silent, but even if the case is happening in Australia, it can greatly affect the way the company operates worldwide.
[via AppleInsider]
