Apple Bites Back In Row Over Exploding iPod

[mcmonkiez]

Electronics giant Apple has rejected claims it tried to silence a British family with a gagging order after a girl's iPod exploded. Skip related content

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Apple Bites Back In Row Over Exploding iPod
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Eleven-year-old Ellie Stanborough's music player was blown 10ft into the air and was left a scorched, charred mess after she dropped it on the stairs.

But when her father Ken contacted Apple to ask for a refund, he said the company returned a letter insisting any "settlement agreement" must remain "completely confidential".

The letter warned any breach of confidentiality "may result in Apple seeking damages and legal costs against the defaulting persons or parties".

Mr Stanborough told Sky News the iPod had "started making a hissing sound" after it fell on the carpeted stairs as his Liverpool home.

He said: ''I threw it out of the back door and within 30 seconds it exploded. It went 10ft in the air.''

The 47-year-old was advised by Argos, where he bought the £162 player, to contact Apple for a refund.

Mr Stanborough e-mailed over pictures to the company of the damaged music player while requesting to be repaid, though without compensation.

Apple denied its response had attempted to gag the family when Sky News Online contacted them, instead describing it as "standard practice to have a letter of settlement".

A spokesperson said no further comment would be made on the case because Mr Stanborough had refused to hand over the defunct iPod for their engineers to examine.

Mr Stanborough said he refused a request from Apple to send the player via DHL to Cincinnati.

He suggested a representative pick the phone up from his home, but this was declined by the company.

"We're not out to cause trouble," Mr Stanborough said. "We just don't want this happening to anyone else."

Apple is currently facing a lawsuit in America after a mother from Ohio alleged her child's iPod touch exploded in his pocket.

She is suing the company after complaining the iPod burned through her son's trousers and injured his leg.

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/5/20090803/tuk-apple-bites-back-in-row-over-explodi- 45dbed5.html

http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/UK...ging_Order_On_Liverpool_Family_Seeking_Refund

 

[-aggie-]

Hmmm....a new WMD. The WMiPod.

 

[army91c]

Read about this today..... Apple, you got some splanin to do....(in my best Ricky Ricardo voice.)

 

[Chundles]

Well, looks like they're not getting their settlement.

 

[iUser4Lyfe]

iBomb?

 

[alFR]

But when her father Ken contacted Apple to ask for a refund, he said the company returned a letter insisting any "settlement agreement" must remain "completely confidential".

Standard form letter, nothing to see here.

He said: ''I threw it out of the back door and within 30 seconds it exploded. It went 10ft in the air.''

I don't know what to think about this. I mean, look at the supposed course of events: daughter drops iPod on stairs, presumably calls Dad to look at it, Dad comes and looks at it, "hmm it's making a funny noise, I know I'll throw it out the back door", 30 seconds later it goes boom? It just sounds implausible.

The 47-year-old was advised by Argos, where he bought the £162 player, to contact Apple for a refund.

This also sounds dodgy. Under UK law, the purchaser's contract is with the retailer, not the manufacturer - Argos should have been providing the refund, not Apple. If he wasn't looking to cause trouble/get compensation, why did he go to Apple?

Mr Stanborough said he refused a request from Apple to send the player via DHL to Cincinnati.

Why? They would have paid for it. Again, sounds dodgy - maybe he didn't want them to be able to inspect it?

Maybe the story is true, maybe it isn't: after all, Li-ion batteries have been known to blow up before (remember the burning Dells?). A lot of things about it don't quite add up though.

 

[gnasher729]

This also sounds dodgy. Under UK law, the purchaser's contract is with the retailer, not the manufacturer - Argos should have been providing the refund, not Apple. If he wasn't looking to cause trouble/get compensation, why did he go to Apple?

Possibly because Argos refused to pay for it. If it was out of warranty, then Argos would likely refuse any responsibility. If that happens, you obviously _can_ try to get money back from the manufacturer. Which Apple actually offered. I guess you can consider the offer retracted.

Why? They would have paid for it. Again, sounds dodgy - maybe he didn't want them to be able to inspect it?

Don't know what he wanted, but I thought DHL would pick up things at your home, and anyway, Apple _isn't_ able to inspect it. His argument that he "doesn't want this to happen to anyone else" is faulty; the best way to achieve this is to hand the iPod to Apple so they can figure out what the fault was and how it can be prevented.

 

[army91c]

Yeah... Send it DHL... exploding iPod never seen again.

You guys have been drinking down the Apple koolaid huh.

 

[alFR]

Yeah... Send it DHL... exploding iPod never seen again.

You guys have been drinking down the Apple koolaid huh.

Yeah, because clearly that couldn't happen if an Apple employee picked it up from the guy's house, which is what he suggested rather than sending it DHL.

 

[JBazz]

When he refused to send it in, he was being unreasonable.

And anyone who has received a settlement from a company knows about confidentiality agreements. They are common practice and are not some evil Apple plot to control the world.