The warranty in Europe works as follows:
During the first year the manufacturer (Apple) is responsible for providing the warranty and giving the customer the required service.
However - and here comes the unfair part- the European Law describes that during the second year it is the store where you have bought your phone from - and not the manufacturer- (in this case Apple) that is responsible for providing you the warranty and support. This leaves Apple fully of the hook.
The store by law has to give the customer warranty while they themselves are not able to claim warranty from Apple in return. (Apple only gives one year of warranty)
With the low margins stores make on selling iPhones they suddenly are now also legally responsible for replacing or repairing Apple phones at their own cost.
The reply of consumer organizations is that it is up to the independent shops to negotiate on this with Apple. Yeah right. I wish every store the best of luck trying to negotiate with companies like Apple, or whatever other global brand. There is no interest in any negotiation with a shop that might sell "only' hundreds even "only" thousands of phones annually.
Thus the shop has no choice: if they don't sell Apple: their customers will go somewhere else..
And Apple smiles: They can state customers have two years of warranty, while during the second year it is the store that has to provide the warranty and pays the bill. Not Apple.
As one shop owner told me: "I have to sell 50 iPhones to recover the costs of 1 defective iPhone.... "
The Law here in Europe should be rewritten in that it is not the store being responsible for two years warranty, but the manufacturer. That would would be more fair, would solve a lot of problems and could enhance the production of more reliable goods, since manufactureres will make sure their products will last longer.
I just read an article a few days ago: "Apple Reports Q3 2013 Quarterly Results: $6.9 Billion Profit"
I think this fully justifies that the law should be changed.
