Apple agrees to change Australian warranty policies after run-in with watchdog

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Apple has come under fire again for its overseas warranty practices this week. The company is being forced to change its return and repair policies to fit under Australian consumer law after it was found to be lying to consumers about their entitled coverage.

Under ACL, warranties are expected to be kept in effect “for the amount of time that it is reasonable to expect, given the cost and quality of an item.” So essentially, there’s no set expiration date to them. But apparently, Apple has been telling folks differently…

The Wall Street Journal reports:

“Following an investigation by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, the technology giant agreed to bring the warranty on the goods it sells in line with Australia’s laws. The regulator alleged Apple had in some cases wrongly applied a 14-day return policy and a 12-month warranty.

In a court enforceable order, Apple agreed to provide consumers a return or repair policy of up to 24 months after the products are purchased—ensuring it is in line with Australia’s consumer law.”

In addition to other things, Apple says it will provide information on its website about the difference in coverage between its own warranty and coverage provided under Australian law, and also improve training for Apple retail staff and call center representatives.

On a global scale, warranty issues have been an ongoing struggle for the company. They’ve had run-ins with consumer watchdogs and governments in several countries including China, Belgium and Italy—the latter of which resulted in a rather pricey $1+ million fine.