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Apple

Controversies

Controversies tied to this brand in public sources. A listing is not a finding of fault.

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  1. 2021

    Ericsson sues Apple in 5G patent dispute

    Lawsuit filed

    Ericsson took legal action against Apple over licensing terms for Ericsson's 5G patents. Ericsson alleged that Apple's approach to determining patent validity and infringement was an attempt to avoid reasonable fees; Ericsson asked a Texas federal court for a declaration that it had complied with its FRAND commitment and applicable laws and policies.

    Source excerpt

    • Ericsson has taken legal action against Apple in a bid to make the iPhone manufacturer pay what the former considers to be fair rates for its 5G patents.
    • In a lawsuit filed by Ericsson in Texas, Ericsson has alleged that Apple still wants to use its own methodology to determine which individual patents are SEP, are valid, and have been infringed.
    • On October 4, 2021, Ericsson has asked the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, Marshall Division, for a declaration that Ericsson has, in its negotiations with Apple, complied with its FRAND commitment and all other applicable laws and policies that would affect the terms of Ericsson and Apple’s prospective license,
  2. 2021

    Apple launches free repair program for certain iPhone 12 devices

    Corrective action

    Apple launched a service program offering eligible iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro users free repairs for call audio problems associated with a receiver-module component that might fail.

    Company response

    • Remediation — Apple

      Of course, if your phone is eligible for the program, Apple will make the repair free of charge.

    Source excerpt

    • Today, Apple has launched a new service program that covers iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro users who experience issues with the sound when they make or receive calls.
    • Apple has determined that a very small percentage of iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro devices may experience sound issues due to a component that might fail on the receiver module.
  3. 2021

    Apple settles lawsuit with Corellium

    Settlement

    Apple settled its federal lawsuit against Corellium on Tuesday. The settlement terms were not disclosed.

    Source excerpt

    • Apple settled its federal lawsuit Tuesday against Corellium, the maker of tools that allow security researchers to find software flaws in iPhones, according to court records.
    • The terms of the settlement are unknown.
    • Apple has settled its copyright lawsuit against Corellium, a company that sells virtual iPhone environments for security testing. Apple and Corellium agreed to a last-minute settlement yesterday, just days before a trial scheduled for August 16th. The terms of the settlement are confidential, but Corellium confirmed to that it would continue to offer virtual iOS systems.
  4. 2021

    UK court rules that Apple infringed Optis patents

    Ruling

    A UK High Court judge ruled that Apple infringed two Optis patents and ordered Apple to pay a licence fee; the amount had not yet been determined in the report.

    Source excerpt

    • 202年6月,英国一家高等法院法官裁定苹果侵犯了Optis的两项专利,命令其支付许可费。
    • 今年6月,一名高等法院法官裁定苹果侵犯了其中两项专利,因此苹果应支付相关费用。
  5. 2021

    Apple settled lawsuit over repair workers’ disclosure of customer images

    Settlement

    Apple paid millions of dollars to settle a case after repair workers at an Apple repair contractor took explicit photos and videos from a customer's phone and posted them on Facebook. The article reports that the case was settled for an undisclosed amount.

    Source excerpt

    • Apple paid millions of dollars to a woman after iPhone repair workers took explicit photos and videos from a phone she had sent in to be fixed and posted them on Facebook.
    • Lawyers for the woman threatened to sue for invasion of privacy and emotional distress, but the case was settled for an undisclosed amount of money, though it totaled in the millions, The Telegraph reported.
    • The incident happened in 2016, when the woman sent her phone to Pegatron Technology Service, an Apple repair contractor in California.
  6. 2021

    Epic Games appeals ruling in Apple case

    Lawsuit filed

    Epic Games filed an appeal of the ruling in its case against Apple after losing on most of its complaints. The article reports that the court found Apple had operated in anti-competitive ways, while also finding that Apple acted lawfully in removing Fortnite for violating its terms of service.

    Source excerpt

    • Epic Games filed notice to appeal the overall ruling of its case with Apple over the weekend, as reported by AP News.
    • In the original ruling, California court Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers found that while Apple did operate in ways that were anti-competitive, it did .
  7. 2021

    Apple responds to an iOS 14.7 Apple Watch unlocking bug

    Company response

    Apple acknowledged that iOS 14.7 caused the “Unlock with iPhone” feature to stop working for some Apple Watch users with Touch ID-equipped iPhones, and said it would address the issue in a future software update. The article also reports that Apple provided a PIN-entry workaround.

    Company response

    • Remediation — 蘋果

      蘋果也會在不久的未來推出軟體更新解決此問題

    Source excerpt

    • 而蘋果方面也已經知道這項問題並在官方支援網站中列出解決方式,基本上很簡單,就是自己輸入 PIN 碼解鎖
    • 蘋果稍早推出了 iOS 14.7 的更新,雖說此更新修復了不少漏洞,不過卻製造了新的 bug,而蘋果也承諾將在未來的軟體更新中修復。
  8. 2021

    Banks and regulators urge probe of Apple Pay restrictions

    Public backlash

    Major banks and regulators called for a parliamentary committee to probe Apple's restrictions on third parties accessing iPhone payment functions, citing potential competition concerns.

    Stated objective. To ensure the fast-growing digital-wallet market is competitive.

    Source excerpt

    • Banks say smartphones have become “critical gateways” for making payments, but given Apple and Google have payment applications that compete with banks, “competition questions may arise because of their ability to self-preference” Apple Pay and Google Pay over banks’ own apps.
    • Major banks and regulators want a parliamentary committee to probe the restrictions Apple has placed on third-parties accessing the payment functions of its iPhone, to ensure the fast-growing market for digital wallets is competitive.
  9. 2021

    Apple apologizes and refunds a child's in-app purchases

    Company response

    Apple apologized to a child's mother and refunded $1,116.32 spent on in-app purchases. The purchases were made through apps including Roblox and Coin Master.

    Company response

    • Apology — 苹果

      作为回应,苹果向孩子的母亲道歉并退还了在App Store上花费的金额。
    • Refund or compensation — 苹果

      作为回应,苹果向孩子的母亲道歉并退还了在App Store上花费的金额。

    Source excerpt

    • 据外媒报道,苹果在App Store上提供了许多应用和游戏并提供了应用内购买功能。
    • Vasquez表示,她九岁的儿子Thenniel在不知情的情况下从苹果App Store购买了东西并记入了她的账户--1116.32美元。
    • 作为回应,苹果向孩子的母亲道歉并退还了在App Store上花费的金额。
  10. 2021

    Apple fined over gathering at Singapore store

    Fine or penalty

    Apple was fined $1,000 in Singapore over a workplace gathering held at its Orchard Road store on June 18, which the Singapore Tourism Board said involved more than 50 staff and violated pandemic restrictions.

    Source excerpt

    • The company was fined $1,000 for purportedly holding a workplace event at a company store in Orchard Road, Singapore, which occurred last June 18, reports The Straits Times.
    • Over 50 members of the store's staff gathered at an event to celebrate the final day of another employee at the store, according to the Singapore Tourism Board (STB).
    • SINGAPORE: Apple was fined S$1,000 (RM3,101) for holding a social workplace event at its Orchard Road store on June 18.
  11. 2021

    Apple clarifies AirPods Max power-mode behavior

    Company response

    After users reported rapid battery drain, Apple clarified in a support document how and when AirPods Max is designed to enter low-power and ultra-low-power states.

    Company response

    • Clarification — 苹果

      苹果在一份支持文件中澄清说,AirPods Max 被设计为在静止(不放在智能耳机套中)5 分钟后进入”低功率模式”。

    Source excerpt

    • 苹果在一份支持文件中澄清说,AirPods Max 被设计为在静止(不放在智能耳机套中)5 分钟后进入”低功率模式”。
    • 许多用户都发现一夜之间电池耗电量很高,有时是两位数的百分比,但大多数人在耳机不使用时,每天看到的电池耗电量约为 10% 至 12%。
  12. 2021

    EU preliminary report flags potential competition concerns in the smart-home and IoT sector

    Issue disclosure

    The European Commission's preliminary report on the Internet of Things said that a small number of companies, including Apple, might engage in anticompetitive conduct. The report did not conclude that Apple or other companies had violated competition law.

    Source excerpt

    • 初步报告并没有说苹果或其他公司违反了竞争法。
    • 在所有消费物联网领域,大量受访者指出,开发新产品和服务的主要障碍是没有能力与Google、亚马逊和苹果竞争
    • 一份关于物联网的初步报告得出结论,包括苹果在内的少数公司可能存在反竞争行为。
  13. 2021

    Apple settles lawsuit over repair technicians’ posting of customer photos

    Settlement

    Apple paid an unspecified settlement to a woman after technicians at an Apple-approved repair contractor posted explicit photos and a video from her phone to her Facebook account. The article reports that the incident occurred in 2016 and that the settlement amount was reported to be multimillion-dollar.

    Source excerpt

    • Apple paid a multimillion dollar settlement to a woman after iPhone repair techs posted risque pictures from her phone to Facebook, one of the most severe customer privacy breaches yet to be made public, according to legal documents obtained by the Telegraph.
    • Two iPhone repair technicians in Sacramento, uploaded "10 photos of her in various stages of undress and a sex video" to her Facebook account, resulting in "severe emotional distress" for the young woman, according to the Telegraph's review of legal records.
    • The settlement isn't the first time Apple has had to handle the misdeeds of employees.
  14. 2021

    Brazilian consumer watchdog fines Apple over iPhone 12 charger exclusion

    Fine or penalty

    Brazilian consumer watchdog Procon-SP fined Apple $2 million for not including a charger with iPhone 12 boxes. Procon-SP alleged that Apple's advertising misled consumers and that consumers were charged on unfair terms; the source says Apple had not commented on the charges.

    Source excerpt

    • Procon-SP has fined Apple $2 million for not including charger in the boxes of the iPhone 12 series.
    • It alleged that Apple is misleading consumers with its advertising and charging them on unfair terms.
  15. 2021

    Apple faces lawsuit over app membership pricing and payment options

    Lawsuit filed

    A Shanghai Apple user sued Apple, alleging monopoly-related conduct after finding that several app memberships cost more through Apple’s channel than on Android and that purchases offered limited payment options. The Shanghai Intellectual Property Court accepted the case in February 2021; the article reports allegations, not a court finding.

    Source excerpt

    • 日前,因不满买部分App会员比安卓用户贵,上海一苹果用户起诉苹果公司称涉嫌垄断。上海知识产权法院在2021年2月已受理此案。
    • 起诉状显示,原告作为苹果手机消费者,购买爱奇艺App、喜马拉雅App、网易云音乐App和懂球帝App会员服务时发现,这几款数字产品在苹果渠道的定价均高于安卓渠道,且交易时只能选择Apple Pay支付,无法兼容支付宝或微信等其他支付手段。
    • 今年2月,上海知识产权法院已受理此案。
  16. 2021

    French competition regulator rejects request to block Apple's iOS tracking controls

    Ruling

    France's competition regulator rejected lobbying groups' request to block Apple's anti-tracking controls, stating in a preliminary decision that it did not view the feature as an abusive practice. The regulator said it planned an in-depth investigation to assess whether Apple applied privacy rules differently to third-party developers and itself.

    Source excerpt

    • The French competition regulator rejected a request from lobbying groups for the online advertising sector to block Apple's anti-tracking controls.
    • However, the regular sided with Apple in its preliminary decision on the case. The Autorite de la concurrence stated that it did not view the new feature as an abusive practice by a company, and this decision quashed the objections of the complainants.
    • The watchdog, which consulted with the data protection regulator in France on the case, stated that it still plans to pursue an in-depth investigation of the updates to verify whether they constitute a form of self-preferencing by Apple.
  17. 2021

    Gesture Technology Partners sues Apple over camera-related patents

    Lawsuit filed

    Gesture Technology Partners sued Apple, alleging that Face ID and other iPhone camera features infringed patents invented by Timothy Pryor. The supplied report describes the allegations and does not establish a court determination.

    Source excerpt

    • 申诉书称,Pryor 博士就基于摄像头的专利授权权问题与苹果公司进行了接触。申诉书指出,苹果公司向 Pryor 博士回函,但没有采取任何措施避免侵权。正因为如此,该诉讼称苹果公司直接且明知故犯地侵犯了这些专利,原告因此受到了损害。
  18. 2021

    Procon-SP fines Apple over iPhone sales and consumer complaints

    Fine or penalty

    São Paulo consumer-protection agency Procon-SP fined Apple R$10,546,442.48 over selling iPhones without chargers and allegations involving misleading advertising, factory defects, unfair contract terms and warranty repairs. Apple can appeal.

    Source excerpt

    • The agency [Procon-SP] announced on Friday (19) that it applied a fine in the amount of R $ 10,546,442.48 to Apple for selling iPhones without a charger.
    • Apple can appeal the ruling, and the matter could be taken to court if no resolution can be agreed upon.
    • In addition, Procon-SP accuses the company of misleading advertising, of selling devices with factory defects, of maintaining unfair terms in the contract with consumers and of not having repaired a product that was still under warranty.
  19. 2021

    Which? sues Qualcomm over patent licensing fees

    Lawsuit filed

    UK consumer organization Which? filed a lawsuit against Qualcomm, alleging abuse of market dominance through its patent licensing and chip supply practices and seeking more than $600 million in compensation.

    Stated objective. Which? is seeking compensation for eligible consumers who bought Apple or Samsung smartphones from 1 October 2015 onward.

    Source excerpt

    • 在苹果与高通和解近两年之后,高通又因为专利授权费在英国引发了官司,他们被英国消费者权益维护机构起诉滥用市场地位,收取了过高的专利授权费,要求索赔超过6亿美元。
    • 起诉高通滥用市场主导地位的,是英国的消费者权益维护机构Which?,他们认为高通不向竞争对手授权专利、不向未向高通支付高额专利授权费的智能手机厂商供应芯片的做法,是滥用市场地位,是违反竞争法的反竞争策略,向苹果和三星收取了过高的专利授权费,导致智能手机价格的上升。
    • Which?官网的信息显示,他们已经向竞争上诉法庭提起了诉讼
  20. 2021

    Students sue Apple over the omission of a phone charger

    Lawsuit filed

    Students from Beijing University of Chemical Technology and Donghua University sued Apple, asking it to provide phone chargers and pay contractual damages and legal costs over its new products not including power adapters.

    Source excerpt

    • 来自北京化工大学和上海东华大学的大学生提出反对意见称,苹果公司仍在继续生产充电器,只是单独出售给手机用户。 原告要求苹果停止侵犯消费者权益的行为,并重新开始向他们提供充电器。
    • the group also claims that Apple is lying about its claims of making the change to protect the environment, suggesting that the decision was actually motivated entirely by the desire to increase its profit margins.
    • 此案于 9 月启动一审。目前,法院正在听取双方的论点。