back to article FTC names its dirty half-dozen half-assed tech warranty bandits

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has revealed the names of six companies it formally warned over efforts to force consumers to use only their replacement parts. Following a freedom of information request from a number of people – including The Register – the federal consumer watchdog has published the letters [PDF] it sent, …

  1. Dan 55 Silver badge
    Gimp

    FTC didn't do their job over Apple

    It's not as if there isn't evidence:

    Apple REFUSED to Fix our iMac Pro - Screen breaks, guy offers to pay Apple to fix a computer which should have replacement parts available, Apple refuses to fix it and refuses to send parts to a third party repair shop because they need a non-existent certificate.

    Stockholm-syndrome apologist fanwebpress response:

    Ill-informed YouTuber bemoans Apple repair policies after breaking iMac Pro

    Other repair guy:

    The truth about Apple's engineering

    1. jake Silver badge

      Re: FTC didn't do their job over Apple

      So don't purchase Apple kit. The only way to stop this kind of legal rip-off is to vote with your wallet. Hit 'em where it hurts ... right square in the shareholders.

      1. JohnFen

        Re: FTC didn't do their job over Apple

        I agree, don't do business with companies whose policies you object to.

        But, equally, don't think that doing so will force them to change their policies. It won't.

      2. Dan 55 Silver badge

        Re: FTC didn't do their job over Apple

        What happened if you purchased Apple kit before Cook and Jony Glue took over the asylum?

        Those heady days where Tiger, Leopard, and Snow Leopard improved with each version and they'd just completed their switchover to Intel so you could run Windows, and there was XServe...

        1. jake Silver badge

          Re: FTC didn't do their job over Apple

          I bought John Deere before they went anti-consumer. Now I don't.

          I started recommending Cupertino kit over Redmond in the OSX Tiger days, when Vista was on the way in. Now I don't recommend products from either company.

          Things change. As an informed consumer, I make my choices according to conditions that exist for me today, not what happened in the past. I'm not religious about my technology; I don't feel that I owe them anything ... and in fact, the more they try to lock me in, the less I am likely to continue investing in whatever they are pushing.

          As always, YMMV.

          1. Anonymous Coward
            Anonymous Coward

            If Apple's warranty doesn't require Apple parts

            Then this particular FTC action won't affect them. What Apple has done in some cases is have OS updates refuse to operate properly if third party parts are used (like the error if you used a third party display replacement in recent iPhones)

            That's a separate issue, and may come in a separate FTC action. If such action occurs, likely their first target will be farm equipment - equipment costing half a million dollars is restricted to only be serviced by authorized dealers similar to what automakers did until ODB-II made them standardize the ECM data.

  2. jake Silver badge

    Doesn't matter what the FTC has to say.

    Informed consumers don't purchase from companies which instill an effective monopoly on repairs. If I can't repair it myself, this afternoon, when I absolutely need the tool to run my business, I refuse to purchase the tool. Waiting for a week for "approved parts" or "properly trained labo(u)r" when there is a crop to get in isn't conducive to running a farm profitably ... are you listening, Deere & Company?

  3. JohnFen

    My approach

    I ignore warranties. The times that I've needed to make use of the terms of a warranty, the process to do so has been so expensive, time consuming, and painful that it wasn't worth the "benefit" at all, so now I pay them no attention whatsoever.

    As a benefit, it means that I don't have to worry about doing anything that will break the warranty. I'm free to mod and repair my stuff to my heart's desire, and can use any parts that I wish.

    1. jake Silver badge

      Re: My approach

      That's all very well and good, but what are you going to do when a major tractor company won't pay out on an engine warranty simply because you decide to change your own oil and filters, or even if you use your local mechanic to do it instead of transporting said tractor 200 miles to the nearest dealer?

      1. JohnFen

        Re: My approach

        Yes, if you're talking about capital business investments, then the equations changes. I was talking about consumer-side.

        1. jake Silver badge

          Re: My approach

          Out of curiosity, why would your though processes be any different if you were purchasing a 10 megawatt hydro plant vs. a 20KW Generac whole-house system vs. a little 1.0KW Honda genset? Regardless of scale, if you're locked into a single source for repairs, you're going to get screwed over over the long haul ...

          1. JohnFen

            Re: My approach

            I am unlikely to be able to repair a 10 MW hydro plant. I have a good chance with a a 20KW Generac whole-house system, and I am almost certainly able to repair a little 1.0KW Honda genny. Aside from my personal ability to repair, there is also the question of whether or not I'm able to afford to just replace it. If I can repair or replace the equipment, then I ignore the warranty. It's not needed.

            "if you're locked into a single source for repairs, you're going to get screwed over over the long haul ..."

            Indeed, which is why I try to avoid being locked into a single source of repairs (except when that single source is myself). I honestly can't remember ever being in that position..

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: My approach

      What I don't get is this: If your warranty is expired, you don't care whether they say your warranty is invalid if you use non-Microsoft (or whatever) parts. If your warranty is in force, why would you make repairs using third party parts, instead of having the vendor repair it for free?

      The only thing I can think of is if the warranty is like "ship your Xbox back to Microsoft, we'll repair and you'll get it back in 2-3 weeks" and the problem you want to fix can is trivial to DIY for $10 in parts and a Youtube video.

      1. JohnFen

        Re: My approach

        "If your warranty is in force, why would you make repairs using third party parts, instead of having the vendor repair it for free?"

        Because it's very rarely "for free".

        My experiences with warranties is that they involve extended downtime, a fair bit of hassle, paperwork, and sometimes even money. Repairing it myself means that I can get it back to a working state sooner and for a whole lot less hassle. If I can't repair it, then I'll replace it with something made by a different manufacturer.

        But mostly, ignoring the warranty means that I am more free to use the product as I see fit.

      2. eldakka

        Re: My approach

        > What I don't get is this: If your warranty is expired, you don't care whether they say your warranty is invalid if you use non-Microsoft (or whatever) parts. If your warranty is in force, why would you make repairs using third party parts, instead of having the vendor repair it for free?

        Couple of examples:

        Bigger HDD in the Games consoles than what they shipped with. Microsoft and Sony were refusing warranty repairs for any problem, even those totally unrelated to the HDD, if a non-genuine HDD was used.

        They put illegal "warranty void if removed stickers" on components, so even if you opened a case to say clean out the dust build-up, they were refusing warranty service because it was opened and the stickers removed/tampered with.

        Or, for example with the cars, putting an after-market more effective airfilter in, or a custom stereo, or non-genuine brake pads, all of those were claimed to be grounds for rejecting warranty service for unrelated issues.

        The issues weren't to do with claiming warranty repairs on parts already replaced/modified/upgraded with non-genuine parts or 3rd-party repairers. It was claiming warranty for totally unrelated issues, and these companies were either refusing to provide that warranty service, or at least were wording their warranty Ts&Cs such that it looked like they were claiming that.

    3. Dan 55 Silver badge

      Re: My approach

      You'd be speaking from a USAian point of view where if you get more than 90 days then the company is really pushing the boat out, right?

      1. JohnFen

        Re: My approach

        Yes, I am USian. However, my problem with warranties isn't their duration, it's that (in my experience) companies go to great efforts to make warranties as limited as possible and to make it as annoying as possible to hold them to it.

  4. JeffyPoooh
    Pint

    FTC staff searching websites for infringing language

    Meanwhile, Apple puts DRM chips into their charging cables.

    1. jake Silver badge

      Re: FTC staff searching websites for infringing language

      So don't buy Apple kit. Simples.

  5. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    The DRM thing has to stop

    First it was printer ink. Next thing you know it's in coffee pods. What next, DRM'd power outlets, so only Officially Sanctioned Technology is allowed to use power? Cobbling together an unlicensed battery viewed as crimes against the state? Soon you'll own nothing, you'll just rent it all from the Elite.

    It's b.s. people, don't buy the stuff, you'll only encourage them.

    1. jake Silver badge

      Re: The DRM thing has to stop

      I know where you can purchase a slightly used proprietary juicer.

  6. Doctor Syntax Silver badge

    "the federal agency was reduced to staff searching websites for infringing language, rather than a more serious (but expensive and time-consuming) investigation of illegal practices."

    It's the same mindset as "we can't investigate crime because of encryption".

  7. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    we are only in a position to name the companies after that 30-day window has expired.

    So the FTC gave the bad boys time enough to amend their paperwork thus giving them the ability to say they are in compliance while keeping business as usual in the background.

  8. Grikath

    heh Apple....

    Apple wouldn't show up in a search like this.. When you're buying Fruity Stuff the lock-in is implied. Hell... They're even *proud* of the fact.

    Apple lock-in isn't a bug, it's a Feature.

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