Apple Adjusts Warranty Coverage in Australia to Comply With Consumer Protections LawAustralian law requires that sellers of products offer warranties for "a reasonable period from date of delivery until the failure becomes apparent". This has been interpreted as two-years for computers. Apple's standard warranty on all products runs for one-year, while AppleCare extends coverage to three years on Macs. The Sydney Morning Herald writes of the warranty requirements, including that Apple Retail Store employees and authorized resellers have been notified of a change in how Apple handles warranty claims in the country. On Friday, Apple's Australian retail store staff and authorised Apple resellers were notified about a change to Apple's internal policy on how it handled standard warranty claims. Until now, many Apple consumers have reported on forums that store staff have only ever discussed with them a standard 12-month manufacturer warranty when selling, fixing or replacing Apple goods. Apple has now changed this from 12 months to 24, which appears to bring it in line with Australian Consumer Law.The consumer protection law, which Apple details in a page on its website, requires purchasers to contact the seller of a product for a warranty claim rather than the manufacturer. This means that if a Mac is purchased from a non-Apple retailer, that retailer is responsible for satisfying the requirements of the Australian law. It also means that Apple is responsible for warranty claims on third-party products purchased at Apple Retail Stores. Apple notes that consumers can receive warranty coverage under the Australian consumer law, Apple's standard one-year warranty, or AppleCare, whichever is applicable. The company had previously gotten in trouble over its AppleCare practices in Italy -- that country has a similar consumer protection law and Apple was fined more than a million dollars because it did not sufficiently notify customers about the standard warranties available to them under Italian law. Recent Mac and iOS Blog Stories • Apple Opening New Store in UK This Week, Posts Job Listings for Two New German Stores • Ex-Apple CEO John Sculley Believes 'Innovation Lull' Will End, Smart Watch Likely Key Product Focus • NCAA March Madness iOS App Goes Live for 2013, Pay-TV Authentication for Most Games • Zite Announces Google Reader Alternative • Dropbox Acquires Mailbox, Will Accelerate Rollout • iMac Added to Employee Purchase Program, Suggesting Production Constraints Have Eased • Tim Cook's Approval Rating Slips, Loses Top Spot in CEO Rankings • Apple Releases Security Update 2013-001 for Snow Leopard and Lion
http://www.macrumors.com/2013/03/18/apple-adjusts-warranty-coverage-in-australia-to-comply-with-consumer-protections-law/
