Skip to main content

News

Fri, 06 Jul 2007 Consumer group attacks Apple on battery replacement

US consumer advocates pull Apple up over iPhone battery replacement charges

Jonny Evans

  • Email to a friend
  • Print this article
  • Bookmark this page
  • RSS feed

A US consumer rights group is attacking Apple and AT&T over the fee consumers must pay for battery replacement.

The Foundation for Consumer and Taxpayer Rights is taking the two firms to task over the fact that the fees and methodology for the battery replacement scheme wasn't announced in advance of the product launch.

Question of the day!

Mark Hattersley
Editor in Chief

Do you use Adobe Photoshop with a Wacom tablet?

Question of the day!

Do you use Adobe Photoshop with a Wacom tablet?

% of Macworld readers agree with you

Yes
TBC
No
TBC

How does a Wacom tablet improve the Photoshop experience?

124 characters remaining

Follow the conversation at @TabletChat

paintings & illustrations, mostly, which i upload to flickr.RT @fragmentedm

I draw manga/anime characters. I also do graphic design and photography.RT @spialelo

Yes. I usually put them up on my #deviantart account for feedback on how to improve.RT @spialelo

Apple published information about its battery replacement plan on its website on Friday evening (US time) - after the product went on sale. Replacement costs owners of the $499 or $599 device $79 plus $6.95 shipping charges. The process takes three business days, and Apple will offer a loan unit to tide users over during this period for an additional $29 charge.

The group complains that this left consumers in the dark before they purchased the device. The iPhone battery is soldered to the inside of the device and cannot be swapped by users.

The consumer advocates argue that because the replacement scheme wasn't fully disclosed before the device went on sale, some consumers who have purchased it may not have done so, had full information been available.

In a letter the group observes: "News reports quote Apple as stating that the iPhone's battery will eventually deplete itself after 300-400 charges". This means some customers will need to pay the battery tax within ten months of purchasing the product, the advocates warn.

Email A Friend

Email this article to a friend or colleague:



PLEASE NOTE: Your name is used only to let the recipient know who sent the story, and in case of transmission error. Both your name and the recipient's name and address will not be used for any other purpose.

<<prev article | back to news index | next article>>

Latest News


More news...