Apple’s warranties, in most countries, are the bare minimum that’s legally required: one year.
That’s not a knock on Apple. Most tech companies only offer one year warranties on their products. However, a consumer group in Australia now says that one year warranties are simply not long enough.
Apple – a company with notoriously unreliable products – has been ordered to double its warranty periods after complaints by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC).
The ACCC claims that Apple’s current warranty plan – which offers 14 day returns and 12 month manufacturer warranties – is not legal under Australian law. It also has not been legal for quite some time.
In response, Apple has stated that it will change all its warranty policies moving forward. All customers affected by unfulfilled warranties going back two years will also be compensated by the company.
Effective immediately, Apple customers will receive a minimum 24 months of manufacturer’s warranty coverage. Apple will also improve its repair and return policy to Australian standards.
You can view full details on the warranty changes at http://www.apple.com/au/support/

Apple’s been in trouble with the ACCC before

This isn’t the first time that Apple has come under fire from the ACCC. The company received a $2 million fine last year after giving consumers misleading info regarding 4G functionality on the new iPad.
Clearly, Australia has a higher standard of protection for its consumers than most other developed countries. I would love to see the same standard applied to consumers in North America.