Apple fined $6.6 M in Australia after Error 53 debate

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The time has actually come for Apple to spend for the notorious Error 53 that bricked iPhones and iPads required to a 3rd party for repair work.

The Federal Court of Australia revealed Monday its order for Apple to pay AU$ 9 million (around United States $6.6 million transformed) for informing clients who came across the mistake they weren’t entitled to a refund.

The mistake was initially reported in 2016 If you repaired a broken screen or a stopping working Touch ID-enabled house button through a 3rd party not certified by Apple, “security checks” would render your iPhone or iPad unusable, revealing just the message “Error 53”.

Apple discussed the message as a security procedure to safeguard the iPhone’s finger print sensing unit from exploitation. It launched an iOS 9.2.1 upgrade later on that February to bring back bricked gadgets, however reports revealed it did not re-enable Touch ID and clients grumbled they still lost images, files and apps.

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In April 2017, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) commenced a legal battle with Apple in the Federal Court of Australia. It said Apple violated customers’ rights under Australian Consumer Law to repairs for devices bricked by Error 53.

Then, in June 2017, the ACCC conducted an undercover operation involving 13 calls with Apple retailers in Australia, in which Apple representatives allegedly said Apple did not have responsibility to remedy faulty iPhones repaired by an unauthorised third party.

Apple has since admitted that from February 2015 to February 2016 it misdirected 275 Australian customers looking for compensation for devices bricked by Error 53, through its US website and Apple staff in Australian stores and on customer service phone calls.

According to Australian Consumer Law, that’s not on.

“The Court declared the mere fact that an iPhone or iPad had been repaired by someone other than Apple did not, and could not, result in the consumer guarantees ceasing to apply, or the consumer’s right to a remedy being extinguished,” ACCC Commissioner Sarah Court said.

The ACCC had notified Apple about its investigation, spurring Apple to compensate 5,000 affected customers. That allegedly involved Apple exchanging faulty iPhones and iPads for refurbished replacements, not completely new devices. Apple has since committed to new replacements — if you request one.

“If people buy an iPhone or iPad from Apple and it suffers a major failure, they are entitled to a refund. If customers would prefer a replacement, they are entitled to a new device as opposed to refurbished, if one is available,” Court said.

Expect your Apple store workers to wear even bigger smiles: Apple says it will improve staff training, systems and procedures to ensure future compliance with Australian Consumer Law.

“We’re constantly looking for ways to enhance the service we deliver and we had very productive conversations with the ACCC about this,” an Apple spokesman said. “We will continue to do all we can to deliver excellent service to all of our customers in Australia.”

Update, 4:39 a.m. PT: Adds Apple spokesman comment.

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