Apple was fined $12 million for misleading claims about how water resistant its iPhones are

Monday, November 30, 2020 2:26 PM

Apple was fined $12 million for misleading claims about how water resistant  its iPhones are


Italy's competition regulator has hit Apple with a 10 million euro ($12 million) fine for making false claims about how water resistant it's iPhones are.

The Autorità Garante della Concorrenza e del Mercato (AGCM) announced the fine on Monday, saying Apple misled the public on two counts.

Firstly, in promotional materials the company claimed various iPhone models — from the iPhone 8 through to the iPhone 11 — were water resistant at a depth of between 1 and 4 metres (3 and 13 feet) for up to 30 minutes, depending on the model.

The AGCM said this was only the case under controlled laboratory conditions, with completely still and pure water, and wasn't true in real-world scenarios where consumers might drop their phones in water. 

It also said Apple's warranty terms were misleading, as they were voided if the phone was damaged by liquids. It said Apple failed to repair iPhones that had been water-damaged.

Apple declined to comment when contacted by Business Insider.