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Apple: We disagree with Italy’s warranty complaint

Tuesday, July 3, 2012 · 4:32 pm · 40 Comments

“U.S. tech giant Apple disputed on Tuesday a request by the Italian competition authority that it must offer a free two-year warranty on its goods or face fines of 300,000 euros ($378,200) and even temporary closure of its Italian operations,” Reuters reports. “‘We have introduced a number of measures to address the Italian competition authority concerns and we disagree with their latest complaint,’ Apple said in a statement emailed to Reuters.”

Read more in the full article here.

Related article:
Italy threatens Apple with fine, temporary closure of operations over warranty demands – July 2, 2012

Categories: News

Tags: aapl, AGCM, Apple Inc., Italy, legal, warranty

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Comment Feed

40 Comments

sixvodkas

Tuesday, July 3, 2012 - 4:42 pm · Reply

Offer a two warranty while suspending AppleCare, that ought to more than balance the books on day 731
- Cleetus
  
  Tuesday, July 3, 2012 - 7:05 pm · Reply
  
  This is WHY there is a European Union so companies like Apple don’t have to dance around every little country’s whims.
  
  Apple should just move out of Italy until they get their sh*t together. See how long the Italians last with Windows WARTs & Android tryPhones before they come running back.
  - ApplePi
    
    Thursday, July 5, 2012 - 12:43 am · Reply
    
    So… Apple shouldn’t stand behind their products? Apple make quality products. Two years should not be a problem… unless Apple products are designed to fail before that. Which they aren’t.
- devfr
  
  Wednesday, July 4, 2012 - 4:51 am · Reply
  
  Moving out of a country such as Italy, which has the world’s six or seventh biggest economy would be expensive and would decrease shareholder value.
G4Dualie

Tuesday, July 3, 2012 - 4:51 pm · Reply

Where is Derek from Milan?

I’d like to hear is take on this issue. I could give two-shits what he thinks, but I’d still like to hear it.
- muptard
  
  Wednesday, July 4, 2012 - 9:32 pm · Reply
  
  COULDN’T!!!!!!!
  - Tessellator
    
    Thursday, July 5, 2012 - 7:31 am · Reply
    
    The logic fault there is that an idiom is specifically defined as phrase that has a figurative meaning that is comprehended in regard to a common use of that expression that is separate from the literal meaning or definition of the words of which it is made.
    - G4Dualie
      
      Thursday, July 5, 2012 - 9:22 pm · Reply
      
      Sure, is you want to gloss over it, but we digress.
  - Paul
    
    Thursday, July 5, 2012 - 8:37 am · Reply
    
    The absolute worst is …………….”could of” instead of “could have”. Now that really is 100% illiterate!
  - G4Dualie
    
    Thursday, July 5, 2012 - 9:21 pm · Reply
    
    You know what’s wrong with people like you is, you’re argument is with Autocorrect, not my grammar and yet here you are once again feeding your inbred habit to feel useful.
    
    Your energy would better serve the pre emergent social classes in your local neighborhood.
bimmerdude

Tuesday, July 3, 2012 - 4:53 pm · Reply

This doesn’t seem like a big burden on Apple. Their products come with a 1 year warranty already. So they are covering the second year only. Given their margins on products it doesn’t look like a loss. Their products are very high quality to start with so there shouldn’t be much impact.

However, not knowing the details of the law and its exact requirements makes all of this speculation.
- G4Dualie
  
  Tuesday, July 3, 2012 - 5:02 pm · Reply
  
  Since we’re only speculating, this smacks of extortion.
Jean Poole

Tuesday, July 3, 2012 - 4:54 pm · Reply

Italy lost to Spain and they’ll loose here.
Jean Poole

Tuesday, July 3, 2012 - 4:55 pm · Reply

LOSE!
- althegeo
  
  Tuesday, July 3, 2012 - 6:19 pm · Reply
  
  I’m glad you got that lose in before the spelling police gotcha.
  
  Speaking about losers, Apple just might buy Italy and give it back to the citizens. Apple will find that the Mob’s asking price is affordable.
  - botvinnik
    
    Tuesday, July 3, 2012 - 7:36 pm · Reply
    
    great point.
  - devfr
    
    Wednesday, July 4, 2012 - 4:52 am · Reply
    
    Unlike the US where corporations have already bought the government?
    - temprakneeoh
      
      Wednesday, July 4, 2012 - 12:11 pm · Reply
      
      +1
      Seriously though, +1
      But seriously ,
      Giving Italy what it’s asking would possibly be a precedent for any others asking the same thing. There’s a potential for this to be very expensive for Apple—possibly more expensive than telling Italy to suck it.
      What I’d like to know is why Apple’ warranty is good enough for everyone else in the world but not for Italy. Am I missing something?
      - temprakneeoh
        
        Wednesday, July 4, 2012 - 12:15 pm · Reply
        
        all I had to do is read further… warranties are different everywhere.
        viva Italia!
      - nciceman
        
        Thursday, July 5, 2012 - 12:22 pm · Reply
        
        That’s my take. While I think Apple should have no problem standing behind a 2 year warranty on their already excellent products, I don’t like the idea of individual countries dictating business terms on such a granular level. Is there some data supporting that Italians are getting ripped off by products failing in the 2nd year? Is AppleCare not available? And when did grammar nazis start making YouTube videos?
Paul

Tuesday, July 3, 2012 - 5:18 pm · Reply

A product “warranty” and “Apple Care” are two entirely different beasts. A warranty does NOT cover 24 hour customer tech support or upto two incidents of accidental damage.

Regardless why not just bump the price by upto a one year extra warranty.
tomtom

Tuesday, July 3, 2012 - 5:50 pm · Reply

Apple ist right, it is a fraudulent misinterpretation of european law by the Italian competition authority. Here in the European Community the seller has to guarantee for 24 months that the merchandise was free of defects AT THE TIME YOU BOUGT IT and not that all defects that may occur in 24 months are covered. In the first six months there is no problem but after this time the customer has to prove at his own expense that the defect was to some degree already present at the time you bought the product which is quite impossible.

Defects that just happen to occur between 6 and 24 months are NOT covered by the law. It is complicated and I hope I could explain the problem. I know what I am talking about – two years ago I had a logic board failure with my 18 months old 17″ MacBook Pro.
- Ivar
  
  Tuesday, July 3, 2012 - 6:00 pm · Reply
  
  Wrong. The law states that it should last as long as can reasonably be expected. iPhone: 2 years minimum, Notebook 3 years minimum, washer 5 years. All under normal use. has nothing to do with Apple Care since AC is including support. AC is far more than the warranty and therefore valuable in its own right.
  
  Nobody expects to buy a MBP for 2000-3000 and it quits on you after 18 months. However. The law often states that the SELLER has to provide the warranty and he should claim at Apple. Why? Because the consumer is protected. They can complain to a local store but can not fight a large corporation.
  - tomtom
    
    Tuesday, July 3, 2012 - 6:12 pm · Reply
    
    What kind of law are you talking about? My MBP was effectively not covered by anything after 18 months here in Germany. Which law says a notebook has to last at least 3 years?
  - Not again
    
    Tuesday, July 3, 2012 - 9:09 pm · Reply
    
    ivar your wrong, and I dont need to educate you, you can find out for yourself just by looking up local laws for the EU.
- João Santos
  
  Tuesday, July 3, 2012 - 9:55 pm · Reply
  
  As usual everybody thinks that in Europe we must apply American rules. Under European laws it’s mandatory that any producer offer a minimum guaranty to every private consumer. Only batteries are covered by warranty only during six months. And is usual here that Apple refuses to repair its devices when the problem occurs after the first year. My later 2009 mac mini had its motherboard and hard drive replaced after 6 months after I bough it and the hard drive died again 1 year later and I had to complain to the consumers association to force Apple to replace it again.
  Today a work with a ordinary PC with Linux.
  If this is quality it seems that Apple is making computers like American car company’s made its products without knowing anything about quality.
  - kingmel
    
    Wednesday, July 4, 2012 - 12:48 am · Reply
    
    I regret that you had a bad experience with an Apple product. But I have owned and/or used many Apple products over the past 33 years with hardly a problem. So, I cannot simply accept your anecdote as evidence of a systemic quality problem on the part of Apple.
    
    Although there are a few notable exceptions, Apple generally has a very good track record with respect to addressing problems with its products. This is supported by the fact that Apple’s consumer ratings are consistently higher than its competition.
    
    I am glad that you found satisfaction in an “ordinary PC with Linux.” But I and many others prefer extraordinary.
    
    By the way, even American car manufacturers are improving quality. It took a long time, but the progress is evident.
  - vanfruniken
    
    Wednesday, July 4, 2012 - 11:55 am · Reply
    
    i have been using Apple products since 1987. I had 3 failures, one within warranty, and 2 well out of warranty, both of which were repaired by Apple free of charge.
    One instance was a hard drive which of which a chip on the controller board blew up. After some research it turned out this problem was not uncommon, exactly for this particular model.
    I wrnote up a little report, documenting everything, with pictures and with the proper links. Apple granted me a blanket warranty extension for one month to get the problem fixed.
    The other instance was mediated by my store. It was covered by a repair extension program.
    I didn’t switch to Linux (although it is always fun to remind me why — just watching Linux’s GUI amateurism, when I run it under Virtual Box).
  - Paul
    
    Wednesday, July 4, 2012 - 2:10 pm · Reply
    
    Apple will always fix a problem within a warranty period. After six months they would either give you a NEW product or completely fix any problem without hesitation. My experience has been that they will bent backwards to make you happy even after a month past the warranty period.
    
    But I would like to ask the Europeans one question…..does DELL, or ASUS or HP provide better service than Apple? If you had a dell would they have replaced the drive after 18 months? I think not!
Radio

Tuesday, July 3, 2012 - 7:44 pm · Reply

Isnt the fine a few seconds of apples earnings?
- abcd
  
  Tuesday, July 3, 2012 - 9:50 pm · Reply
  
  True. But once you open that can of worms, every other country will want something from Apple and not pay for it.
Markim

Wednesday, July 4, 2012 - 1:51 am · Reply

I think, Apple should generally include a 2-year warranty on iPhones. Period. If it is a good product, it should last 2 years.
Mike

Wednesday, July 4, 2012 - 2:10 am · Reply

No company who sells electronic devices should be held too a two year warranty like Santos describes….. How would Apple know if he had an electrical surge or if he misused the computer by shutting down improperly. He could have a very humid or dusty environment and not protect it well….. And speaking of car companies Santos I will take my F150 any day and run over your dumbass Euro car…..
Tessellator

Wednesday, July 4, 2012 - 1:14 pm · Reply

Why should Italy get something for nothing?

They can require mandatory 2 year warranties, of course. But don’t be naive, entitled or elitist, they should pay more than countries who don’t require extend warranties.

Why is this a problem (and why would the Italian government require it’s citizens to buy extended warranties, rather than having an option to do so?)
tom

Wednesday, July 4, 2012 - 3:24 pm · Reply

the law in question has been around since 1999. It applies in all eu countires not just Italy (and that includes germany)

eu directive 99/44

http://europa.eu/legislation_summaries/consumers/protection_of_consumers/l32022_en.htm
Larry from NH

Wednesday, July 4, 2012 - 7:45 pm · Reply

Call me a dinosaur (born in 1950) but to me it seems ridiculous that you should have to pay for a warranty on any product. It’s just another way companies have found of separating you from your money rather than standing behind their products.
TechproDave

Wednesday, July 4, 2012 - 10:26 pm · Reply

My guess is that Italy will be the first country to lose the ready availability to purchase Apple products.

So, what about HP, Toshiba, Compaq, Dell, and others whose std warranty is 90D / 1Y? Did they pull out or give in?
Almux

Thursday, July 5, 2012 - 3:09 am · Reply

There should be ONE rule and the ONE same for all! Whatever someone’s selling (of course non-dairy and rather technical stuff), it should be under warranty for (at least) TWO YEARS. Period!
- Tessellator
  
  Thursday, July 5, 2012 - 7:43 am · Reply
  
  Then simply add the price of apple care to every (apple) price you see. that way everything will have a nice 3 year warranty with FULL tech support for the entire 3 years.
  
  However, is is not ok to remove the right of those who are technically inclined (to maintain and repair if necessary) to pay less for their products.
Vega51

Thursday, July 5, 2012 - 1:47 pm · Reply

I have to stop you there. American car makers are still making poor quality vehicles. They’ve just increased advertising efforts and dressed up the poor quality a little. American car companies will NEVER make quality a priority. They will loose too much money doing so. I buy USA when I can now and when it makes sense. Buying USA cars does not make sense, to include those made in america like BMW made under the auspice that, “they are the same quality as those made in Germany”. Take the Toyota Tacoma. Once a well known reliable truck, taken over by the us manufacturing destruction machine, then outsourced to Mexico and now made in, “Tijuana Mexico Baja California”. Watch the reliability reports on that truck. They will be diving like the Olympic trials.