Apple in hot water in Australia for not fixing bricked "error 53" devices.

[killcomic]

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has instituted proceedings in the Federal Court in Melbourne against Apple for violating Australian consumer law.

This comes after an investigation where Apple refuses to fix "error 53" which locks users out of their devices.

This error comes about when an Apple device is repaired by a third party (such as replacing a cracked screen).

 

An Apple support web page, titled ‘If you see error 53 or can’t update or restore your iPhone or iPad’, told consumers: “If the screen on your iPhone or iPad was replaced at an Apple Service Centre, Apple Store, or Apple Authorized Service Provider, contact Apple Support.

“If the screen or any other part on your iPhone or iPad was replaced somewhere else, contact Apple Support about pricing information for out-of-warranty repairs.”

 

This flies in the face of Australia consumer law.

“Consumer guarantee rights under the Australian Consumer Law exist independently of any manufacturer’s warranty and are not extinguished simply because a consumer has goods repaired by a third party,“ ACCC Chairman Rod Sims said in a statement.

 

This is not the first time that Apple has landed into trouble with the ACCC. Back in 2013, the ACCC forced apple to comply with Australian consumer law.

 

The ACCC is seeking $1,100,00 per breach.

 

Source: http://www.news.com.au/finance/business/retail/apple-facing-court-over-error-53/news-story/0a18fa1f30c176b830885e4e375bbfeb

[TrigrH]

ACCC really keeps shops inline over here when it comes to warranty/repair/returns, its great.

[Guest]

Well, hopefully one of these days they'll get hit for a high enough amount of money to make them care so they can actually fix their shit instead of ignoring it. 

[killcomic]

2 minutes ago, TrigrH said:

ACCC really keeps shops inline over here when it comes to warranty/repair/returns, its great.

Yeah, like when they bitch slapped MSY for being dodgy with refunds.

They've been on the straight and narrow since then. 

[JuNex03]

5 minutes ago, killcomic said:

 

The ACCC is seeking $1,100,00 per breach.

 

Woah, that's quite a lot of money. I wonder, how many people send their phones to be repaired by 3rd party?

[Belgarathian]

So a third party fucks the phone, and then ACCC tells Apple it's their problem? Wow. Ridiculous! 

I'm glad that the ACCC is supporting the consumer, but that should be an expense that the third party repairer bears. It'd be like you taking your PC to your local PC store, they let off an IED inside the case, returning it and Dell having to repair it free-of-charge under warranty. WTF. 

'Error 53' only occurs when the Touch ID sensor is replaced, preventing tampering of the phone which would bypass security. I'm glad Apple bricks your phone for this. 

 

https://support.apple.com/en-au/HT205628

[killcomic]

3 minutes ago, IAmLamp said:

Well, hopefully one of these days they'll get hit for a high enough amount of money to make them care so they can actually fix their shit instead of ignoring it. 

Well the ACCC forces complience. If they don't comply,  they could lose the right to trade in Australia.

[TrigrH]

1 minute ago, Belgarathian said:

So a third party fucks the phone, and then ACCC tells Apple it's their problem? Wow. Ridiculous! 

Apple fucks the phone by implementing systems that force these errors when devices get repaired by 3rd parties.

[DocSwag]

7 minutes ago, TrigrH said:

ACCC really keeps shops inline over here when it comes to warranty/repair/returns, its great.

Yup, and with Trump I doubt we'd see anything similarily nice for at least another 4 years  

[Belgarathian]

3 minutes ago, TrigrH said:

Apple fucks the phone by implementing systems that force these errors when devices get repaired by 3rd parties.

Did you even read my post? 

 

Error 53 occurs when the Touch ID sensor is replaced, and no longer passes a security test. It prevents tampering of the phone to access secure data. I'm glad Apple bricks your phone if someone tampers with it. 

 

A third party shouldn't be tampering with your phone if they don't:

1. Let the consumer know the risks
2. Support their work
3. Repair the phone

 

 https://support.apple.com/en-au/HT205628

[Technous285]

$1.1 Million (AUD presumably) per-breach, that's gonna quickly rack up the more people come forth with instances of said breaches.

This is one of the few reasons I'm glad and proud to be an Aussie, since U.S. Companies like Apple love to do shady shit such as their "You no pay us to basically throw away your device instead of actually fixing it, instead you flex your legal rights to get an item repaired and working again? We fuck you in arse by locking you out of item you paid good money for in first place."

 

Don't forget Steam is still in deep shit and hot water with the ACCC over their non-compliance with the ACL in regards to returns and refunds (since Steam is acting as a Digital version of EBGames as a Retailer), unlike Origin who actually has a proper working refund system.

[killcomic]

1 minute ago, DocSwag said:

Yup, and with Trump I doubt we'd see anything similarily nice for at least another 4 years  

Well, to be fair, this would never be implemented in the USA, by anyone. 

That country lives for worshipping corporations. 

[DocSwag]

Just now, killcomic said:

Well, to be fair, this would never be implemented in the USA, by anyone. 

That country lives for worshipping corporations. 

The right to repair has been moving along in some states and cities. So it is in fact possible that something like that could be implemented.

 

Oh wait, Trump's president. I guess I'll have to wait at least another 4 years.

[TrigrH]

Just now, Belgarathian said:

Error 53 occurs when the Touch ID sensor is replaced, and no longer passes a security test. It prevents tampering of the phone to access secure data. I'm glad Apple bricks your phone if someone tampers with it. 

If security is an issue, disable touch ID.

 

DO NOT PREVENT THE PHONE FROM UPDATING.

 

THAT'S  A BIGGER SECURITY RISK.

 

Also right to repair.

[HelplmChoking]

Hmmm weird, I've seen >10 iPhones have screens/batteries/home buttons replaced here in NZ, and that was all by 3rd parties, since we don't actually have an official Apple Store anywhere in the country. And not one of those devices ever had an error (from iPhone 4 right up to a 7 Plus last week).

[killcomic]

1 minute ago, Belgarathian said:

Did you even read my post? 

 

Error 53 occurs when the Touch ID sensor is replaced, and no longer passes a security test. It prevents tampering of the phone to access secure data. I'm glad Apple bricks your phone if someone tampers with it. 

 

A third party shouldn't be tampering with your phone if they don't:

1. Let the consumer know the risks
2. Support their work
3. Repair the phone

 

 https://support.apple.com/en-au/HT205628

Nope. Not good enough. You're locking people out of choosing who repairs their phone.

That might be good enough for you, but that shit doesn't fly here.

[HelplmChoking]

10 minutes ago, Belgarathian said:

So a third party fucks the phone, and then ACCC tells Apple it's their problem? Wow. Ridiculous! 

I'm glad that the ACCC is supporting the consumer, but that should be an expense that the third party repairer bears. It'd be like you taking your PC to your local PC store, they let off an IED inside the case, returning it and Dell having to repair it free-of-charge under warranty. WTF. 

'Error 53' only occurs when the Touch ID sensor is replaced, preventing tampering of the phone which would bypass security. I'm glad Apple bricks your phone for this. 

 

https://support.apple.com/en-au/HT205628

 

So it's only for Touch ID sensors? Still sucks if you're in a country like NZ, we don't have an Apple Store at all, the best we have is a store that operates as a reseller. We have no choice but to go through 3rd parties, and if this is true, that means we would have to actually send the phone overseas for repairs, likely taking >1 week.

[Zodiark1593]

4 minutes ago, TrigrH said:

Apple fucks the phone by implementing systems that force these errors when devices get repaired by 3rd parties.

If it is proven that these third parties had sufficient warning to be aware of the risks involved, one could make a case that by taking on the repair the third party took on the risk that the device would lock the user out. 

 

Though, from a brief glance, it seems that Australia's consumer law would not even look toward the third parties for any sort of blame, regardless of whether or not they were aware the device may lock itself. 

[Droidbot]

12 minutes ago, Belgarathian said:

So a third party fucks the phone, and then ACCC tells Apple it's their problem? Wow. Ridiculous! 

I'm glad that the ACCC is supporting the consumer, but that should be an expense that the third party repairer bears. It'd be like you taking your PC to your local PC store, they let off an IED inside the case, returning it and Dell having to repair it free-of-charge under warranty. WTF. 

'Error 53' only occurs when the Touch ID sensor is replaced, preventing tampering of the phone which would bypass security. I'm glad Apple bricks your phone for this. 

 

https://support.apple.com/en-au/HT205628

This is 2017, we deserve a right to repair. 

Even if it's repairing a device that was shit anyway

[Belgarathian]

3 minutes ago, TrigrH said:

If security is an issue, disable touch ID.

 

DO NOT PREVENT THE PHONE FROM UPDATING.

 

THAT'S  A BIGGER SECURITY RISK.

 

Also right to repair.

Touch ID uses: 

• Apple Pay
• iTunes and App purchases
• Unlocking my phone for all data & access to my accounts & app

What you're proposing is that anyone with a soldering iron and Aliexpress account can have access to my phone. 

 

Repair the screen, but the Touch ID should remain secure in all instances.

 

[killcomic]

4 minutes ago, DocSwag said:

The right to repair has been moving along in some states and cities. So it is in fact possible that something like that could be implemented.

 

Oh wait, Trump's president. I guess I'll have to wait at least another 4 years.

Gaps! That starting to sound dangerously like socialism!

Quick, put a stop to it or you might end up with universal healthcare, livable minimum wages and affordable tertiary education! 

[comicsansms]

2 minutes ago, Belgarathian said:

Did you even read my post? 

 

Error 53 occurs when the Touch ID sensor is replaced, and no longer passes a security test. It prevents tampering of the phone to access secure data. I'm glad Apple bricks your phone if someone tampers with it. 

So remove the functionality of that one component, not make the device a paper weight. 

2 minutes ago, Belgarathian said:

A third party shouldn't be tampering with your phone if they don't:

1. Let the consumer know the risks
2. Support their work
3. Repair the phone

So replacing a completely fucked home button with a button that the fingerprint reader doesn't work is not repairing the phone?

No repair store would not explain that the finger reader doesn't work if they replace the fingerprint reader / button that doesn't work to begin with, the customer would be pissed off at that store and hate on them for that. 

Apple decided to make the customer who gets the button part repaired at a 3rd party store pay by bricking their device, just so 3rd party stores can do literally nothing and so 3rd party stores get shat on because they literally cannot do anything about it. 

2 minutes ago, Belgarathian said:

 https://support.apple.com/en-au/HT205628

 

[HelplmChoking]

Just now, Belgarathian said:

Touch ID uses: 

• Apple Pay
• iTunes and App purchases
• Unlocking my phone for all data & access to my accounts & app

What you're proposing is that anyone with a soldering iron and Aliexpress account can have access to my phone. 

 

Repair the screen, but the Touch ID should remain secure in all instances.

 

 

So you routinely give your phone to people so they can replace parts? No, no matter what happens, the fingerprint is required to use Touch ID. Even if the sensor was replaced, it would still require your fingerprint to work. Plus, the fingerprint data is kept in a secure chip separate from the main phone storage, with no way of being accessed. If

[DocSwag]

Just now, killcomic said:

Gaps! That starting to sound dangerously like socialism!

Quick, put a stop to it or you might end up with universal healthcare, livable minimum wages and affordable tertiary education! 

Now now, we can't paint such a rosy picture. We need to slowly ease everyone into socialism before making the final move of moving everyone to the true government that should've been used for ages now... Marksizm

Spoiler

It's not communism if you use a different name!

 

[Droidbot]

1 minute ago, Belgarathian said:

Touch ID uses: 

• Apple Pay
• iTunes and App purchases
• Unlocking my phone for all data & access to my accounts & app

What you're proposing is that anyone with a soldering iron and Aliexpress account can have access to my phone. 

 

Repair the screen, but the Touch ID should remain secure in all instances.

 

Yes, but bricking a device because of it is unwarranted - they could have made it just a prompt that said

'Your TouchID sensor is not manufactured by Apple. Therefore, all TouchID services have been disabled.'