Recently, the Seoul High Court in South Korea ruled against Apple, requiring it to compensate seven consumers. The case stemmed from Apple's decision to upgrade the iPhone's hardware performance and the compensation only applies to South Korean consumers, and Chinese consumers have not yet been compensated. In fact, Apple has made similar damages several times over the past few years, such as the 2020 U.S. consumer class action lawsuit, where each U.S. consumer received $25 in compensation, which is far less than the amount of compensation paid by South Korean consumers. These damages were the result of voluntary lawsuits filed by consumers, but Chinese consumers did not take action, perhaps because they felt that the amount of compensation was too small and did not want to bother. As a result, Apple has treated Chinese consumers differently for many years, and it is far inferior to other regional markets in terms of after-sales service. However, the iPhone is still selling well in the Chinese market, which has become the world's largest iPhone market. This article argues that Chinese consumers should actively protect their rights and interests and dare to start a class action lawsuit with Apple, so as to attract Apple's attention and protect their rights and interests.
The Seoul High Court in South Korea recently issued a judgment against Apple, requiring it to pay compensation to seven plaintiffs. The case began in February, when 60,000 South Korean consumers filed a class-action lawsuit accusing Apple of reducing the iPhone's hardware performance after upgrading the system. However, in the first instance, the court ruled against the consumers, and most of the consumers did not file an appeal, except for seven consumers who insisted on appealing. After a 10-month delay, South Korea's second-instance verdict finally reached a favorable verdict in favor of consumers, requiring Apple to compensate the seven consumers. Although the amount of compensation is negligible, for consumers, winning the case has also brought them some promising results. However, it could also inspire more South Korean consumers to file lawsuits against Apple. It's worth noting that this isn't the first time Apple has compensated each consumer for upgrading the system to reduce the performance of their phones, as Apple agreed to pay $25 to each consumer in a U.S. consumer class action lawsuit last year. Obviously, U.S. consumers receive less compensation than Korean consumers. These damages were due to the consumer's active lawsuit, and at the same time, the Chinese consumer did not file a lawsuit and was therefore unable to obtain compensation. This result is related to the reluctance of Chinese consumers to bother, after all, judging from the amount of compensation in past cases, the amount of compensation is not much, and consumers may not want to bother because of this.
Apple has been treating Chinese consumers differently for years. In many services, Chinese consumers are treated much less than overseas markets. For example, in markets other than China, Apple provides replacement services, while in the Chinese market, consumers can only enjoy warranty services, and the warranty often requires consumers to wait for a long time, which is where many consumers are dissatisfied. In addition, this year Apple sold the iPhone 15 made in India to the Chinese market, while the European and US markets only sold the iPhone 15 made in China. However, the quality of the iPhone 15 produced in India is lower than that made in China, and Apple has previously sent some Indian-made iPhones to Europe, only to find that the yield rate is as low as 50% and there is an E. coli problem, which has once again raised concerns that Apple has discriminated against Chinese consumers. However, although Apple has always treated Chinese consumers differently, the iPhone is still selling well in the Chinese market. Today, China is the world's largest iPhone market, underscoring Chinese consumers' love for Apple. Still, Apple's discriminatory treatment of Chinese consumers stands in stark contrast to how Chinese consumers love Apple.
Chinese consumers should not be afraid of trouble if they want to fight for their rights, and should be as brave as South Korean and American consumers are to file class action lawsuits. Only in this way can Apple pay attention to the needs of Chinese consumers. Otherwise, Apple will continue to discriminate against Chinese consumers in order to make more profits. While filing a class action lawsuit may take some time and effort, it is an effective way to protect your rights. Chinese consumers should unite and fight for fair treatment for their rights. Only when consumers take the initiative to defend their rights will Apple take Chinese consumers more seriously. This requires Chinese consumers to speak up and take positive actions to make their voices heard.
This article focuses on Apple's loss of money by slowing down the performance of its phones, and points out that Chinese consumers have not been treated fairly. Despite Apple's differential treatment of Chinese consumers, the Chinese market remains an important sales market for iPhones. In this context, it is believed that Chinese consumers should actively protect their rights and interests and dare to initiate a class action lawsuit against Apple, so as to attract Apple's attention and obtain fair treatment. This is not only of great significance for the protection of the rights and interests of individual Chinese consumers, but also helps to maintain a level playing field in the entire market. Only when consumers unite and form a strong voice can they realize their rights and interests. It is hoped that Chinese consumers will be aware of their rights and interests, and take active action to obtain better treatment for themselves. This will also have a positive impact on the entire industry and drive the market to further development.