...the statement: "Apple is ready to make it up to you, somewhat." is correct. As Gizmodo reported: " readers in the U.S. who've been given the refund have been people who've had multiple problems with their iMac".
After people having multiple problems - I recall reading about 2 different patches that Apple released to "fix" the monitor issue - I imagine enough people raised enough of a stink that Apple's hand was forced and they had to do something. This isn't Apple once again taking great care of their customers, this is a company, like Toyota, that had no other choice, lest lose customers (and future income).
If a company's cost of a recall/replace/refund/whatever, isn't greater than the potential liability lawsuit (or potential loss of income from lost customers) they face if they do nothing... then that company doesn't do anything, and yes that includes your golden calf Apple.
Gizmodo is running a piece (and I have independent, albeit unofficial, confirmation of this) that Apple is offering UK customers with faulty 27-inch iMacs a refund plus 15% on top to buy back the systems because there’s no ETA on spares for repair.
Here’s what a UK-based Apple Authorized Service Provider/Reseller had to say:
The short of it is that apple doesn’t have any 27″ LCDs in Europe and there is a backlog of 230 machines that are waiting on this part, with no eta on shipping. So to keep customers happy(ish) they’re paying them. That’s right apple is now (quietly) offering people a full refund and 15% of the price extra, and they are arranging a free pick up of your machine. I’m not 100% if this is the case in the US, but it’s happening over here in the UK.
As far as i know it’s both Apple stores and 3rd party retailers, but the refund itself comes from Apple not the 3rd party retailer. We’ve had two customer that have both gotten there machines’ refunded plus the 15%.
That 15% works out at around $300 extra for each system.
That seems like a mighty fine deal. Anyone in the US been offered such a deal?
