applecare1Worldwide, all Apple hardware comes with a one-year warranty. On most products, that warranty can be extended to 2 or 3 years with AppleCare. However, in the European Union, the law requires manufacturers cover goods for two years.

Consumer groups in 11 countries -- comparable to Consumer Reports in the United States -- have sent a letters to national regulators asking for action against Apple regarding its warranty practices, reports Bloomberg.

“Consumers should not be misled and confused as to fundamental EU consumer rights because a company wants to sell their commercial warranty services,” Monique Goyens, director general of the European Consumer Organization, said in the statement. Goyens, who said consumers in the EU are entitled to a guarantee of at least two years, added the case is “even more important” as it concerns a market leader, whose practices have a “wide impact.”

Late last year, Apple was fined $1.2 million by Italian regulators over allegations that the company hadn't adequately disclosed the standard two-year warranty that is required by Italian law. Apple added disclosures to its Italian online store to address the court's concerns, but those have since been taken down. The appeal is due to be decided in Rome tomorrow.

Top Rated Comments

daxomni Avatar
171 months ago
europe sounds like a bunch of pansies.
So in your view the people who stick up for their own rights are the "pansies?" Who are the tough guys in your mind? The folks who keep their humble mouths shut and meekly accept whatever they just happen to be given? Sounds like some screwy logic you have there pal.
Score: 26 Votes (Like | Disagree)
duffmanth Avatar
171 months ago
All Apple products should come with a 3 year warranty standard for the prices they charge.
Score: 25 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ditzy Avatar
171 months ago
I didn't know that ownership of electronics was a "right."

I guess you DO learn something everyday. :cool:

It is not a right to own electronics. It is a right to expect a product to do the job it was advertised to do. Just because Apple sell luxary electronics, doesn't change the law, that the product should do what they said it should do, for a reasonable time.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Erwin-Br Avatar
171 months ago
I didn't know that ownership of electronics was a "right."

I guess you DO learn something everyday. :cool:

I think you need to learn how to read first, buddy.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
andyone Avatar
171 months ago
Thanks to the 2 year mandatory warranty in the EU, I didn't have to pay to get the faulty GPU replaced on my 2008 MBP.

Advertising 1 year warranty is actually pretty pathetic for a "premium" company like Apple. 3 years would be appropriate. Eizo even gives 5 years.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
babyj Avatar
171 months ago
So Europe will pay more for their Apple electronics. That's life.

Not going to happen. There are a number of reasons why Apple keep their prices pretty much in line across the globe. If there are additional costs such as this it will just be worked in to a higher price for everyone.

Don't get why so many outside the EU think this is a bad thing. Apple charge a premium for their products, expecting them to last more than 12 months isn't asking much. If it does become a problem Apple always have the option of increasing the quality of their product to match the price tag.

The EU warranty law protects the consumers, it's everyone outside the EU that is getting shafted by Apple's 12 month warranty.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

AirPods Pro 3 Mock Feature

AirPods Pro 3 Just Months Away – Here's What We Know

Friday April 18, 2025 5:16 am PDT by
Despite being more than two years old, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 still dominate the premium wireless‑earbud space, thanks to a potent mix of top‑tier audio, class‑leading noise cancellation, and Apple's habit of delivering major new features through software updates. With AirPods Pro 3 widely expected to arrive in 2025, prospective buyers now face a familiar dilemma: snap up the proven...
iphone 17 air dummy unbox therapy

iPhone 17 Air's Extreme Thinness Demoed in New Video

Tuesday April 22, 2025 10:22 am PDT by
Apple plans to release an all-new super thin iPhone this year, debuting it alongside the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max. We've seen pictures of dummy models, cases, and renders with the design, but Lewis Hilsenteger of Unbox Therapy today showed off newer dummy models that give us a better idea of just how thin the "iPhone 17 Air" will be. The iPhone 17 Air is expected to be ...
iphone 17 dummies sonny dickson

iPhone 17 Air Almost as Thin as Its Buttons, New Images Show

Thursday April 24, 2025 2:14 am PDT by
If you missed the video showing dummy models of Apple's all-new super thin iPhone 17 Air that's expected later this year, Sonny Dickson this morning shared some further images of the device in close alignment with the other dummy models in the iPhone 17 lineup, indicating just how thin it is likely to be in comparison. The iPhone 17 Air is expected to be around 5.5mm thick – with a thicker ...
ipad air windows 11 arm

M2 iPad Air Runs Windows 11 ARM via Emulation, Thanks to EU Rules

Tuesday April 22, 2025 5:01 am PDT by
A developer has demonstrated Windows 11 ARM running on an M2 iPad Air using emulation, which has become much easier since the EU's Digital Markets Act (DMA) regulations came into effect. As spotted by Windows Latest, NTDev shared an instance of the emulation on social media and posted a video on YouTube (embedded below) demonstrating it in action. The achievement relies on new EU regulatory...
iphone 16 pro models 1

17 Reasons to Wait for the iPhone 17

Thursday April 17, 2025 4:12 am PDT by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models simultaneously, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 17 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect from Apple's 2025 smartphone lineup. If you skipped the iPhone...
iOS 18

iOS 18.5 Includes Only a Few Changes So Far

Monday April 21, 2025 11:00 am PDT by
Apple seeded the third beta of iOS 18.5 to developers today, and so far the software update includes only a few minor changes. The changes are in the Mail and Settings apps. In the Mail app, you can now easily turn off contact photos directly within the app, by tapping on the circle with three dots in the top-right corner. In the Settings app, AppleCare+ coverage information is more...
iPhone 17 Pro Blue Feature Tighter Crop

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 13 New Features

Wednesday April 23, 2025 8:31 am PDT by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of April 2025: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone ...