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Australia will make Facebook and Google pay for news content (updated)
Australia is planning a mandatory code that will make Facebook, Google and others pay for news material.
Samsung under fire for its Australian advertising
Samsung is being sued by an Australian consumer watchdog over misleading claims in its advertising. The ads showed people swimming in pools and surfing in the ocean with their Galaxy phones, leading customers to think that they could safely swim or surf with their devices.
Valve loses appeal over Steam refund policy in Australia
Valve will have to pay the piper over its former Steam refund policy. Australia's Full Court of the Federal Court has dismissed Valve's appeals of a ruling and accompanying fine (worth $2.2 million US) over its allegedly misleading Steam customer guarantees. As the company conducts business in Australia, the country's Competition and Consumer Commission said, it's beholden to national consumer protection laws -- and that means getting your money back if a game's quality isn't up to snuff.
Australian watchdog forces Apple to offer 24-month warranties as standard
Apple's had its hand slapped over its product warranties more times than it cares to remember. In its latest brush with competition regulators, the company has been hit with a court order from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) following claims it was misleading customers over their rights to a replacement, refund or repair on faulty products. Similar to its actions in Europe, the ACCC alleges that staff incorrectly applied the company's own warranty policies, including its 14-day return policy and 12-month manufacturer warranty, instead of guarantees required by Australian consumer law. The ACCC says Apple has agreed to bring its return and repair policies in line with local laws and will now provide consumers with coverage for a minimum of 24 months -- like it does in Europe and other parts of the world. It's not the first time Apple has had run-ins with the ACCC either, last year it was fined AU$2.29 million ($2 million) for "deliberately" misleading customers over the 4G capabilities of its new iPad. Australian customers will soon be able to visit a new webpage on the Apple Store which clarifies the differences between the company's own policies and those set out by law, putting an end to warranty confusion once and for all.
Australian High Court rescues Google, says it isn't responsible for the content of ads
No one can doubt the stamina of Australia's consumer watchdog, the ACCC. For six long years it hauled Google from hearing to hearing, court to court, in the belief that the internet giant should be held responsible for any "misleading" advertisements displayed as search results. But now the ACCC must accept defeat. Five judges of Australia's High Court have unanimously overturned an earlier ruling from a lower court that would have required Google to set up a compliance program to vet ads. The upshot is that Mountain View can't be blamed if one of those ads turns out to be deceptive. The specific example that triggered the lawsuit -- that if someone had searched Google in 2006 for the words "Honda Australia," they'd have been shown a sponsored link from one of Honda's rivals -- may already seem like an outdated objection. As a result of this final ruling, that's exactly what it is.
Aussie regulator raps TV makers for touting 'WiFi ready' products
Sony, LG, Panasonic, Samsung and Sharp will no longer be marketing their TVs and Blu-Ray players as "WiFi ready" in Australia unless they're actually ready to connect to a WiFi network. Many products labeled as such often require the additional purchase of a $100-$120 AUD ($80-$100) dongle, and the ACCC, the country's US FTC doppelgänger, has ordered the makers to stop the practice. It all started when a customer complained to the watchdog after feeling burned when his "WiFi ready" TV... wasn't. The fact that similar terms were being used on products that actually have built-in adapters was another strike against the practice, according to the regulator from down under. However, if you happen to reside somewhere else in the world, it's caveat emptor, as usual.
Daily Update for June 21, 2012
It's the TUAW Daily Update, your source for Apple news in a convenient audio format. You'll get all the top Apple stories of the day in three to five minutes for a quick review of what's happening in the Apple world. You can listen to today's Apple stories by clicking the inline player (requires Flash) or the non-Flash link below. To subscribe to the podcast for daily listening through iTunes, click here. No Flash? Click here to listen. Subscribe via RSS
Australian court fines Apple $2.27 million over '4G iPad' claims
It's a good thing Apple has that huge cash reserve, as the company is going to have to fork over a lot of money Down Under for "deliberately" misleading Australians about the 4G capabilities of the new iPad. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) brought an action against Apple, saying that the company misled Australians by advertising new iPad connectivity with 4G networks in Australia. An Australian Federal Court judge agreed with the ACCC and as a result of the settlement, Apple will pay AUS$2.25 million (about US$2.27 million) in fines as well as AUS$300,000 in court costs. In March, Apple offered to refund customers who felt that they had been misled by the advertising, and they also published a clarification of the actual capabilities. Outside of North America, the new iPad is now advertised as "Wi-Fi + Cellular". Australian advertising specifically states that the device "is not compatible with current Australian 4G LTE and WiMax networks." News of the proposed settlement first surfaced about two weeks ago; the latest statement from the Australian courts fixes the amount that Apple will be fined. Similar consumer protection suits may follow in other countries now that the ACCC has successfully sanctioned Apple. [via Engadget]
Apple changes name of 'iPad WiFi + 4G' to 'iPad WiFi + Cellular' in several countries
As reported by 9to5 Mac, Apple has changed the name of the iPad WiFi + 4G to the less descriptive iPad WiFi + Cellular. The change is the result of criticisms from customers and consumer advocacy groups about the iPad's 4G branding. Groups in the UK, Sweden and Australia complained that the 4G label confused customers in areas that did not have compatible cellular networks. Customers expected to get a product that delivered fast 4G mobile broadband speeds and were disappointed when the iPad connected to a slower 3G network. To quell customer's discontent, Apple added a disclaimer to the iPad that clarified the tablet was compatible only with 4G networks in the US and Canada. In Australia, Apple also argued that its labeling adhered to the marketing standard set by the ITU. These changes apparently were not enough, and Apple decided a small name change was the best course of action.
Australian government, Apple still disagree on branding of 4G LTE iPad
Apple is going head-to-head against the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) in a Melbourne Federal Court on Monday, says a report in The Sydney Morning Herald. At the heart of this dispute is the use of 4G in the iPad name in Australia. The ACCC asserts that the 4G in the device's name is misleading to customers because the new iPad does not support Australia's 4G networks. Apple responded to this complaint by putting up disclaimers that explained the iPad was not compatible with Australian 4G and offering refunds to customers who wanted to return their device. The two parties met earlier on Monday to discuss the iPad name at a mediation session, but an agreement could not be reached. [Via AppleInsider]
Australia pondering joining e-book lawsuit bandwagon
If Apple and the Big Five thought they only had to contend with a federal e-book lawsuit in the US, they'd better think again. Australia's Competition and Consumer Commission is inviting local businesses to raise formal concerns as it weighs up launching its own judicial broadside against the alleged cartel. The Commission refused to comment publicly on its plans beyond saying that it was "aware of the latest developments" and would listen to local resellers who had concerns about the Australian market. While Simon & Schuster, Hachette and HarperCollins made back-room deals with the DoJ yesterday, they'd still be involved (at least initially) with the second front of this conflict. Meanwhile, the threat remains of the European Union joining in: turning it from a spot of local trouble into a global courtroom battle for the future of e-book pricing.
