Apple loses appeal in Italian AppleCare issue
Apple today lost part of its appeal in Italy involving the sale and promotion of its AppleCare service in the country.Per Italian news site Repubblica.it (via The Next Web), Apple today lost part of its appeal, and must make changes to its localized AppleCare Web site as a result.In December, Apple was hit with a 900,000 Euros ($1.2 million) fine for allegedly encouraging customers to purchase AppleCare, its technical support and extended warranty service. Under Italian law, the country requires companies to offer two years of technical support to product buyers, which is the same amount of time Apple's paid-for product offered. Apple is still allowed to continue selling the product, but now must make changes to the way it explains it on its Italian sales Web site.An Apple spokeswoman declined to comment.The decision, which will be the topic of a separate hearing on May 9, comes just hours away from Apple launching its latest product -- the third-generation iPad -- in Italy. The AppleCare service, which runs anywhere from $29 to $349 depending on what Apple product you're buying, has long been one of Apple's main differentiators from its competitors. The company's add-on warranty service gives users a way to have their gadgets repaired by phone, and in the company's retail stores. Alongside the iPhone 4S last year, Apple extended that service to include coverage for accidental damage with its AppleCare+ service. Correction: This story has been corrected to note that the details of the appeal, and today's court decision.
