Finnish regulator calls for iPhone refunds
It's cold in Finland, bloody cold
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Finnish iPhone users unhappy at the inability of the handset to operate below zero are entitled to their money back, even if the limitation appears in the small print.
The clarification comes from the Finland's Consumer Agency, as reported by Finnish news agency YLE.fi, in response to numerous questions from concerned Finns who are unhappy that their shiny Apple toys won't promise to work again until the spring, at best. So unless the shop specifically stated the zero-degree operational limit, then the regulator reckons iPhone-purchasing Finns are entitled to their money back.
Finland, like the UK, requires all items sold new to operate in the way they might reasonably be expected to do. Small print can't negate those rights, and it's reasonable for Finns to expect to be able to make phone calls outside, so refunds would seem to be in order. Meanwhile the regulator is preparing a list of questions for Apple about how it trains its staff, and how badly the iPhone breaks down when it gets cold.
Which is, in our limited experience, not at all. We've used iPhones of various models well below freezing, and before Christmas Scottish iPhone owners experienced several weeks of temperatures around -10°C without complaint. Putting the limitation in the small print is obviously a get-out clause from Apple, and probably serves it well in California.
But not in Finland, where (least we forget) the largest payer of taxes is Nokia. We're not suggesting that the regulator would highlight the limitations if the competition just for the benefit of Nokia, but it's a happy coincidence that it works out that way. ®
COMMENTS
Not freezing in California
But well above 35 degrees in summer, no?
Is there ANY country you can use an iPhone all year without voiding the warranty?
Oh come on
Is the Reg taking some news tips from Engadget. Nice to get a bit of conspiracy in there but there is quite a big difference between -10 and -25 or lower, which isn't uncommon in Finland. Even in the south.
I've had my iPhone screen stop responding whilst here. I don't think it's really a refund worthy fault (I might think different if I was in Northern Finland) but the judgement is more reflective of Finland's generally socially orientated government and regulations than some silly protectionist policies (which wouldn't work anyway, everyone here seems to be buying HTC's or iPhones)
UK and EU legislators, please copy
Hiding negative statements in the small print is, almost by definition, a form of intentional deception.
Companies should be required either to word their big print such that there isn't a requirement to use small print.
To take an example, Dishonest Dora says "Sandwiches £1 off" and then hides in the small print "offer not available Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, Weekends, before 3pm or after 4pm".
Honest Horace has exactly the same offer, but says "Sandwiches £1 off 3-4pm Wednesdays" all in the same size, typeface and colour. And doesn't need any small print, because he didn't start by deliberately trying to imply something substantially bigger than what he was actually offering.
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