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The iPhone Is Guaranteed To Last Only One Year, Apple Argues In Court (vice.com)
Reader Jason Koebler writes: Last month, Greg Joswiak, Apple's VP of iOS, iPad, and iPhone Marketing, told Buzzfeed that iPhones are "the highest quality and most durable devices. We do this because it's better for the customer, for the iPhone, and for the planet."
But in a class-action court case over the widespread premature failure of tens of thousands of iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus devices, Apple argues that the company cannot guarantee any iPhone for more than a year. In a motion to dismiss, Apple argued that "to hold Apple's Limited Warranty substantively unconscionable simply because Plaintiffs expect their iPhones to last the length of their cellular service contracts 'would place a burden on [Apple] for which it did not contract.'"
But in a class-action court case over the widespread premature failure of tens of thousands of iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus devices, Apple argues that the company cannot guarantee any iPhone for more than a year. In a motion to dismiss, Apple argued that "to hold Apple's Limited Warranty substantively unconscionable simply because Plaintiffs expect their iPhones to last the length of their cellular service contracts 'would place a burden on [Apple] for which it did not contract.'"
and it's guaranteed to last 2 years (because that's how long it will be warrantied for).
Look at the flip side of that:
Joe Sixpack buys an iPhone from ATT and it comes locked into a 2 year contract (because it's subsidized). Joe didn't buy the phone from Apple, and true to some people who call the Internet "the google" and similar things, thinks of his phone as his "ATT iPhone" not "Apple iPhone".
Now the phone takes a shit at day 366, there are still 364 days remaining in his contract, but the phone is out of warranty. Joe is now officially screwed and either must:
A) buy a retail phone
B) break his contract and start a new one with a subsidised phone
C) get a replacement phone, but tack on an additional 2 years on his existing contract (not sure if ATT offers this, but they used to)
It is not unreasonable for Joe to expect the warranty of the phone to equal the duration of the service contract. Whether or not that's Apple's issue is between Apple and ATT. I would be inclined to require the contract provider to be the one required to warranty the devices under the contract and to deal with the OEM/ODM on the customers behalf if the device was still within manufacturer warranty.
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When you buy an iPhone, as I understand it, the warranty is for one year, unless you buy extensions. So why would anyone expect the warranty to be longer than one year (assuming one did not buy any warranty extensions)? To me it looks more like the problem of Apple corporation has a lot of money, so let's try this approach to a lawsuit and see how much money we can get out of Apple.
Semantics aside, the bottom line is if Apple is going to boldly claim that they make "the highest quality and most durable devices", then they should be able to offer a factory warranty longer than a year. Offer a warranty to match your claims of durability, or stop with the bullshit marketing.
I have other electronic products that are factory warrantied up to a decade, and was included in the base price. It can be done.
My only question is, does Apple sell different devices in the US and Europe? Strangely, Apple customers in the EU enjoy a 2 years warranty.
Companies employ what are called 'continuation engineers' or 'cost reduction engineers.' Sometimes these engineers don't even work for the product development department, they answer more to the purchasing and finance management.
Their job is to reduce the cost of materials so as to increase the profit for selling the company's products. This often involves using the lowest possible quality of components and material that will last the company's product through the warranty period.
These critters have to maintain a balance, of course, because there is also the marketing department involved, who want to maintain the good name of the company's brand.
The bottom line is that the Maytag Repairman was a good marketing stunt, but a total disaster to the Maytag company, who wanted to sell a higher volume of white goods. So they (as Whirlpool now) employ big teams of 'continuation engineers.'
Isn't there any provision in law for design flaws? In most European countries if there are design flaws the liability extends well beyond the warranty period, because the warranty is only for manufacturing defects that result in premature failure. Design flaws are considered a failure to disclose the true MTBF.
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