Apple provides Japanese customers with free repairs following floods and landslides

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Apple is pledging assistance to its Japanese customers affected by heavy rainfall in July, by announcing it will be providing repairs of iPhones, iPads, Macs, and other hardware directly damaged by the natural disaster at no charge.

Apple store in Omotesando. | Source: Apple
Apple store in Omotesando. | Source: Apple


Customers with damaged products can contact Apple on 0120-27753-5 before the end of September to arrange for a repair, an announcement on the regional Apple website found by Mac Otakara reveals. For the repair, products will be collected from the customers and serviced at no charge, in cases where a repair can be made.

The special repair service will apply to repairable Mac, iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch, and Apple displays that were directly affected by the weather event. The service will not repair any accessories or peripherals that were damaged, including Beats headphones.

Customers may also be asked for proof of ownership at the time of repair. Other customers that have problems not caused by the weather will be handled under normal Apple repair guidelines.

Apple warns that, aside from potential delays in the repair process itself, there may also be other issues that can slow down the process. Courier companies in some areas are either suspending or offering a partial service in some areas due to flooding and landslides, which are likely to affect pick-up and delivery times.

Heavy rains earlier this month has caused flooding and landslides in southwestern areas of Japan, in what has been declared one of the country's biggest natural disasters since the 2011 earthquake and tsunami. At least 200 people are believed to have been killed by the disaster, prompting 75,000 responders to arrive in affected areas for search and rescue operations.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 11
    elijahgelijahg Posts: 2,890member
    This is the kind of customer service that really puts Apple in a decent light. Good on them!
    watto_cobraairnerd
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  • Reply 2 of 11
    racerhomie3racerhomie3 Posts: 1,264member
    Good job Apple. Excellent work.
    watto_cobraairnerd
     2Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 3 of 11
    nunzynunzy Posts: 662member
    They won't spend much on these repairs, but the PR value will be priceless. Apple knows how to get people to buy their products.
    anton zuykovairnerd
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  • Reply 4 of 11
    anton zuykovanton zuykov Posts: 1,056member
    Next article from "experts" or "journalists" somewhere:
    "Apple shameless use of poor victims of mudslides in Japan in an attempt obtain a more positive image has to stop".
    or
    "Apple is not doing nearly enough to help Japanese people, victimized by nature and mudslides. Corporatism gone too far".
    edited July 2018
    watto_cobraairnerd
     2Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 5 of 11
    tokyojimutokyojimu Posts: 537member
    They can safely offer to do this in Japan, knowing few people will try to scam them. 
    elijahgwatto_cobra
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  • Reply 6 of 11
    Well done, Apple.
    watto_cobraairnerd
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  • Reply 7 of 11
    nunzynunzy Posts: 662member
    Next article from "experts" or "journalists" somewhere:
    "Apple shameless use of poor victims of mudslides in Japan in an attempt obtain a more positive image has to stop".
    or
    "Apple is not doing nearly enough to help Japanese people, victimized by nature and mudslides. Corporatism gone too far".
    WNWNaw


    Naw, this is likely a profitable move for Apple.

    Phil's team is second to none. They would have herded a critical mass of influential media before making the decision. I'll bet they've gotten hundreds of millions of dollars worth of free advertising already, just in Japan.
    edited July 2018
    watto_cobraairnerd
     2Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 8 of 11
    hammeroftruthhammeroftruth Posts: 1,381member
    nunzy said:
    They won't spend much on these repairs, but the PR value will be priceless. Apple knows how to get people to buy their products.
    Actually they will spend a lot on repairs since there isn't a lot you can do with liquid damaged
    devices, but either replace a lot of parts or replace the whole unit. 

    Its not about PR in this case, it's about being human and helping people in need after a terrible disaster. 


    watto_cobranunzyairnerd
     2Likes 0Dislikes 1Informative
  • Reply 9 of 11
    hammeroftruthhammeroftruth Posts: 1,381member
    nunzy said:
    Next article from "experts" or "journalists" somewhere:
    "Apple shameless use of poor victims of mudslides in Japan in an attempt obtain a more positive image has to stop".
    or
    "Apple is not doing nearly enough to help Japanese people, victimized by nature and mudslides. Corporatism gone too far".
    WNWNaw


    Naw, this is likely a profitable move for Apple.

    Phil's team is second to none. They would have herded a critical mass of influential media before making the decision. I'll bet they've gotten hundreds of millions of dollars worth of free advertising already, just in Japan.
    This wouldn't be Phil's decision. It would be Tim, Luca and Katherine's after weighing the costs and legal implications of a repair strategy like this. 

    I dont see how this is profitable. 
    watto_cobranunzy
     1Like 0Dislikes 1Informative
  • Reply 10 of 11
    Foliofolio Posts: 698member
    Looks like getting hit again from East, many same regions bracing for typhoon. 
    watto_cobra
     1Like 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 11 of 11
    airnerdairnerd Posts: 693member
    News like this should be the headlines, not whatever the latest loud mouthed lawyer is blathering on about.  

    Good for Apple, way to be a great corporate partner for the world.  
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
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