Highlights
- In a big win for consumer rights, Apple was made to compensate an iPhone user.
- This took place in Himachal Pradesh where the iPhone user faced issues shortly after receiving the device.
- Apple was directed to not only replace the iPhone but pay compensation as well.
An iPhone user from Himachal Pradesh managed to win a case against Apple over a faulty unit. The Kangra consumer court ruling led to Apple having to pay the iPhone user a total of Rs 25,000 over failing to provide the required service, besides replacing the device. The iPhone user, in question, faced network and camera issues with a new unit, and was denied repair under warranty. Here’s what happened:
Apple asked to replace iPhone, pay compensation
- The iPhone model hasn’t been specified but it was originally purchased from Saudi Arabia, as per reports. It was then gifted to Pankaj, the complainant in this case. According to reports, Pankaj started facing network issues, and the iPhone’s camera malfunctioned in a short time.
- When he took the phone to Apple’s service centre, he was told that the device is out of warranty, so he’ll have to pay for the repairs.
- The service centre also said that the issues were due to internal damage, and could have occurred due to potential tampering by the user. Since the issues were intentional, Pankaj was denied repair under warranty. He also refused an out-of-warranty repair offer.
- This case was taken up at the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission in Kangra, Dharamshala. Here, Apple couldn’t produce evidence to prove that there was intentional tampering of the iPhone by the consumer.
- The court, in its verdict, stated that Apple is at fault, and directed the company to make certain compensations. These included replacing the iPhone, compensating Pankaj with Rs 10,000, and also paying Rs 15,000 more in litigation expenses.
Also Read
The reasons behind the issues in the iPhone haven’t been specified but it could have been a faulty unit. There must be several such cases where consumers end up with defective units or issues with devices. You can lodge your complaint online with the consumer court, and get updates on the same through this link.
