On Monday, the regulator was fined against Apple Distribution International and Apple Italia Srl, from the iPhone 8 generation to the iPhone 11 generation, on how to market the iPhone, two commercial practices. The issues are largely related to Apple’s advertising for the water-resistance features of its devices.
In its advertisement, Apple states that its iPhones can withstand depths from 1 meter to 4 meters and up to 30 minutes of water. In the first calculation, Apple was accused of not properly clarifying to consumers that depth and time work under specific conditions, such as laboratory-controlled tests with static and pure water.
There is also an issue with the disclaimer that Apple offers, in which the “guarantee” does not cover liquid damage, which goes against some of the major advertisements that claim water resistance. It is not clear if the guarantees outlined by Apple refer to a traditional or legal guarantee, while Apple was also accused of failing to properly circumvent the terms and limitations of the water-resistance claims.
The Antitrust Authority also thought it was unfair for Apple to refuse to offer warranty assistance for liquid damages after the sale, which was considered a consumer rights implied by the law and a hindrance to the country’s Consumer Code.
Sanctions against both Apple Distribution International and Apple Italia SRL include both fines and an order to publish a link to a website on its website covering Italy from a document about regulatory findings.
