Apple Lost Lawsuit Against Independent iPhone Repair Shop in Norway Over Unauthorized Parts

[AZMecha]

I understand this argument about repairs in general, BUT this is just Stupid Authorize repair facilities exist.

If you cannot afford warranty repairs then you wait until you can. Otherwise sure go to the guy around the corner in the laundry mat strip mall.

Loose all your genuine parts that make iPhone. Screen, Speakers, Oh and wait maybe they replace memory too or take out your security enclave chip and insert there own skimmer to capture your data..

Then scream at Apple for loss & theft....

 

[ZMacintosh]

It depends on the nature of the business representing the repair(s). If they're saying their authorized or offer repairs of Apple products and it does not distinguish they are not OEM parts that to me is a problem both for the OEM and a customer not knowing the type of service being performed.

If I'm an OEM I have the right to protect our products and ensure users have a good experience, wether thats going directly through us or approved vendors, I do not see the issue with this type of enforcement.

 

[Ramchi]

Both original and counterfeit parts sourced from the same Chinese factories! Many service centres in my place fix Apple products such as iPhone, iPad, MacBookPros at fraction of the cost. These scalpers go to China get their parts in a suitcase and come back to fix all products enroute via busy holiday destinations in between!!

 

[itsmilo]

It depends on the nature of the business representing the repair(s). If they're saying their authorized or offer repairs of Apple products and it does not distinguish they are not OEM parts that to me is a problem both for the OEM and a customer not knowing the type of service being performed.

If I'm an OEM I have the right to protect our products and ensure users have a good experience, wether thats going directly through us or approved vendors, I do not see the issue with this type of enforcement.

I can get my car fixed wherever i want after warranty.

Hell I can even get my own damn body parts fixed where I choose to!

Why should this be any different.

 

[catportal]

This is ridiculous. I've fixed an iphone 6 screen using a Chinese replacement from ebay and it works 100% perfectly. Why would I spend $140 for an out of warranty phone when a replacement screen is only $14? Not to mention quality of the screen was great too.

 

[Delgibbons]

even original Apple OEM parts don't work when doing an independent iPhone screen repair.

Mr Rossman....

 

[falainber]

Can’t believe some people would not mind having counterfeit parts.

You can't believe it but apparently Apple folks do otherwise why would they sue this dude? Talk to Apple.

 

[eoblaed]

The court’s rationale:

"Huseby is largely dependent on being able to import screens with covered up Apple logos to be able to operate in the market as a non-authorized iPhone repair technician."​

So, he depends on counterfeit parts to operate his business as a non-authorized repair guy.

Boo-hoo.

At least I know which shop never to go to in the unlikely event I happen to be in Norway with iPhone troubles.

 

[Karma*Police]

Anyone who gets their device repaired unofficially is taking the risk of damaging their phone. That’s their choice. If they go to a shoddy guy to save a few bucks then that’s their fault.

Very true. Then they go to Apple to get it fixed and then it becomes Apple’s problem and they may or may not be able to fix it which can lead to a poor UX for the user.

I don’t blame Apple for wanting to shut them down.

 

[techwhiz]

I can get my car fixed wherever i want after warranty.

Hell I can even get my own damn body parts fixed where I choose to!

Why should this be any different.

This IS exactly the point.
If the manufacturer wants you to only use their parts then they should give them to you.
If they only want to use their technicians, it should be free.
If they aren't providing a free service then you should be able to buy repair parts and have whomever you want replace them.

Just like a car.

 

[SeattleMoose]

Glad that Apple lost and kudos for Norway for protecting the laws of a sovereign country.
I am not a fan of international companies being able to sue foreign companies/individuals directly. That is a very dangerous precedent as it implies international companies are above the laws of sovereign countries. That is why I dislike the WTO. They suddenly appeared, unelected, and accountable to nobody. They are a rogue organization whom all countries should ignore. Globalization is about centralization of power and control (e.g. Hunger Games world) and is to be avoided at all costs.

Apple should have contacted the Norwegian embassy here in the U.S. and filed a complaint requesting Norway deal with it.

 

[Solomani]

Sounds like a shoddy operation in Norway.

 

[gaximus]

I can get my car fixed wherever i want after warranty.

Hell I can even get my own damn body parts fixed where I choose to!

Why should this be any different.

Yes but it would be illegal for AutoZone to sell a part with the Ford logo on it, if it wasn't made by ford. I have bought several iPhone screens from iFix it, and thats fine because they don't advertise it as Genuine Apple.

 

[npmacuser5]

Norway is an outstanding country who will not let fat corps like the fruit oppress any consumer's right to choose whether to repair or not or where to repair, their purchased devices. While in America some admire the fruit's "work ethics", some other countries stand by their people.

How would you in Norway handle a badly repaired iPhone. The owner takes the badly repaired iPhone to Apple, they repair it but need to remove all the unofficial parts in order to make the repair certified. Would that be OK in your country?

 

[needsomecoffee]

This is why Apple requires all third-party recyclers to shred their prodcuts. Their claims about recycling are truly smoke and mirrors. Love the way they promote "Liam" as a way for Timmy and Co. to be able to effect the "Look at what we say, not what we do" PR offensive. This (the shredding) is the real Apple. Very glad this guy won. Hopefully the right-to-repair effort in the USA continues to gain momentum. Apple is not alone re: utilizing repairs as a means to augment top/bottom lines. Link:

https://motherboard.vice.com/en_us/article/yp73jw/apple-recycling-iphones-macbooks

 

[nvmls]

How would you in Norway handle a badly repaired iPhone. The owner takes the badly repaired iPhone to Apple, they repair it but need to remove all the unofficial parts in order to make the repair certified. Would that be OK in your country?

"Badly repaired".. interesting, is that a new concept Apple convinced you about? I wonder how the world managed to repair stuff before Apple.. maybe people used their brains.. who knows.

 

[barkomatic]

Talk about being overbearing.

Apple wants to control your wallet even after your buy the iPhone.

The replacement displays don't have Apple logos. No wonder Apple lost this lawsuit.

Enough with the scare tactics. Yes, we know if we choose to use "unofficial" or non-OEM parts, it could mean the devastation of planet Earth. Let us do that.

The replacement displays may not have the Apple logo, but the enclosure that display goes back into certainly does. Let's say someone replaced an internal component with some cheap copy and then sold the iPhone. The iPhone fails and the person thinks Apple's iPhones are poorly made and tells everyone on social media. Or, they take it to an Apple store where the cheap part is discovered and service is denied, again enraging the customer.

I'm fine with people doing with their property as they please, but if a repair shop is using counterfeit parts, then some type of permanent notice needs to placed on the outside of the iPhone or perhaps the Apple logo needs to be covered to signify the modification.

 

[thisisnotmyname]

nowhere in the article does it speak to whether he is representing these items as third party rebuilt parts.

 

[Wowereit]

Can’t believe some people would not mind having counterfeit parts.

A fully working used iPhone 6s in good condition is worth 250€ max.
Screen replacement at Apple is 181€.

 

[apolloa]

Wow! How big is Henrik's shop? Should be pretty big to warrant Apple trying to take him out

No not really, Apple sued a small single coffee shop claiming its logo was too closely matched to the Apple logo!
Apple are just a tad paranoid and incredibly free and easy with this sue everybody mentality. I’m glad they lost, it is your choice not Apples where you get your phone fixed! And it seems they were recycling old phones too for this guys shop.

 

[kaneda]

Anyone who gets their device repaired unofficially is taking the risk of damaging their phone. That’s their choice. If they go to a shoddy guy to save a few bucks then that’s their fault.

So if my old iPhone with a broken screen, I want to use as an mp3 player and I need to fix a screen. You want to pay big buck for Apple or throw it away?
[doublepost=1523647248][/doublepost]

“100 percent compatible and completely identical”
You should base an argument on something that’s probably not true. (Such an argument is unsound). I doubt Apple is making a pile of cash in repairs. On the other hand, it damages their image an an Apple device fails, and nobody will be reporting that some ****** put bad parts inside of it in order to save himself money.

I changed my battery on my iPhone 6 for $24 (including tools) DIY. Apple is $75, I am pretty sure the repair guy working for Apple is not making $50 an hour.

 

[JPack]

The replacement displays may not have the Apple logo, but the enclosure that display goes back into certainly does. Let's say someone replaced an internal component with some cheap copy and then sold the iPhone. The iPhone fails and the person thinks Apple's iPhones are poorly made and tells everyone on social media. Or, they take it to an Apple store where the cheap part is discovered and service is denied, again enraging the customer.

I'm fine with people doing with their property as they please, but if a repair shop is using counterfeit parts, then some type of permanent notice needs to placed on the outside of the iPhone or perhaps the Apple logo needs to be covered to signify the modification.

How's this different from a jailbroken device? Or a water damaged device that slowly corrodes the logic board? In both cases, the owner of the phone will have a poor experience.

Apple can easily add a feature in iOS to show the user which hardware components have been replaced. Everything is serialized electronically. Instead, Apple is taking the legal route of suing repair shops.

It's pretty clear why Apple is doing this, and it's not to provide a better customer experience.

 

[barkomatic]

How's this different from a jailbroken device? Or a water damaged device that slowly corrodes the logic board? In both cases, the owner of the phone will have a poor experience.

Apple can easily add a feature in iOS to show the user which hardware components have been replaced. Everything is serialized electronically. Instead, Apple is taking the legal route of suing repair shops.

It's pretty clear why Apple is doing this, and it's not to provide a better customer experience.

A jailbroken device can be restored -- no problem there. A water damaged device was presumably an accident and wouldn't be perceived as a quality issue once discovered in most cases.

Adding a feature in iOS to alert the user to counterfeit part replacement is a good idea -- if that is possible. Currently, people are buying used iPhones without any knowledge that they are getting counterfeit parts whose quality may vary.

 

[C DM]

Anyone who gets their device repaired unofficially is taking the risk of damaging their phone. That’s their choice. If they go to a shoddy guy to save a few bucks then that’s their fault.

Yeah...like those people who take their cars to independent mechanics instead of dealerships...such a crazy idea.

 

[ZipZap]

People have the right to get their phones fixed out of warranty any way they want, any where they want. Apple can surely tell with non-authorized parts are used in phones that are in warranty and then refuse service.

There is no a need to cripple the phone.