by Apple has been ordered to pay a €10 million penalty by an Italian regulatory agency for its specious iPhone waterproofing claims…
While the fallout from Apple’s notorious iPhone throttling or “Batterygate” continues to prove problematic for the tech company, there’s yet another issue that’s causing harm to its reputation. This one revolves around claims the mobile device manufacturer made about its smartphone’s waterproofing. The Italian Competition Authority, Autorità Garante della Concorrenza e del Mercato or AGCM, has just fined Apple €10 million (or approximately $12 million) for misleading the public about its water resistance.
Italian Competition Authority Fines Apple $12 Million for Misleading iPhone Waterproofing Claims
The AGCM criticized Apple for not providing customers with clear language about the iPhone’s water resistance capabilities. The Italian regulatory body says claims about iPhones being water resistant for up to 30 minutes at depths of up to 4 meters only apply to specific sets of circumstances, such as being in a controlled lab test under pure water. Additionally, the regulators criticized Apple’s disclaimer that states water damage isn’t covered as part of the iPhone’s warranty, this, despite marketing the device’s water resistance.
The is the same government agency that fined Apple €10 million for not providing its customers with enough information about their phones’ batteries, along with throttling the performance of older models without warning.
