Apple has expanded its Personal Pickup scheme — which allows customers to order products online and then pick them up in their nearest brick-and-mortar Apple Store — to six new countries in the European Union, including France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and Sweden.
Apple must wait until 2016 for tax break verdict
Having previously said that he expected to receive the European Commission’s verdict on Apple’s Irish tax arrangements by Christmas, Ireland’s Finance Minister Michael Noonan now claims that an announcement is likely to be delayed util next year.
The delay in the long-running investigation is the result of regulators asking for additional information from the Irish government, which will take several weeks to gather.
E.U. regulators will decide if Apple’s Irish tax deal is illegal by Christmas
Apple’s tax practices in Europe have been the subject of investigation for some time now. However, European Union regulators say they’ll finally have a conclusion as to the question of whether Apple benefited from “illegal tax sweeteners” by the end of this year.
According to Ireland’s finance minister Michael Noonan, the decision will be announced, “between now and Christmas.”
Europeans get new roaming options in iOS 8 beta 4
If you’re an iPhone user based in Europe, you’re going to have greater control over data roaming when iOS 8 makes its public debut this fall. Apple has added the ability to toggle Internet connectivity specifically alongside the general data roaming switch in its latest iOS 8 beta.
The Mac Pro Can No Longer Cut Off Your Fingers, So It’s Back On Sale In Europe
Early in 2013, the old aluminum Mac Pro was pulled from sale in the European Union due to the fact that their pro-level desktop fell afoul of new E.U. regulations that prohibit computers from having fans that spin so fast they can cut off your fingers. Really!
Instead of opting to redesign the old Mac Pro, Apple decided to pull it from sale for a few months until the new models made their debut. Since the new Mac Pro doesn’t have exposed fans, customers in Europe can now order Apple’s super-powerful trashcan Mac through Apple’s online store, and will start receiving their units in February. Neat!
Via: MacGeneration
European Carriers To Scrap EU Roaming Fees Next Year
Europeans will next year be able to take their smartphones anywhere within the EU and enjoy calls, texts, and data without paying a penny more than they do at home. Expensive roaming fees are set to be scrapped by July 1, 2014, after the European Commission voted to fast-track a major overhaul of telecoms regulation.
Apple’s Warranty Compliance Still ‘Not Good Enough’ In Europe
Apple still isn’t correctly informing consumers about their warranty rights in Europe, according to the European Union’s Justice Commissioner, Vivian Reding.
The Cupertino company changed its European warranty policies last year after it came under fire for not meeting EU regulations. But it’s still not providing consumers with the right information in at least 21 of the EU member states, Reding says.
EU Justice Commissioner Calls For Apple’s Warranty Ads To Be Examined In Europe
EU Justice Commissioner Viviane Reding has called for Apple’s warranty adverts to be examined in the European Union’s 27 states. Reding hopes to establish whether or not the Cupertino company fails to mention a buyers’ right to a minimum two-year warranty for all electronics, including Macs and iOS devices.
Apple Is Forced To Clarify Its Warranty Coverage For European Customers
Having been fined $1.2 million by Italian regulators late last year over its marketing for AppleCare products, Apple has been forced to clarify its warranty coverage for customers in the European Union, and compare its extended warranty products against statutory EU warranty coverage.
iTunes Store to Open Up to Another 10 EU Countries “At Any Time”
A Polish newspaper reports that Apple’s iTunes Store is set to open up to another ten countries in the European Union. A launch date for the service is still unknown, but sources have reportedly indicated that it could come “at any time.”
Italy Thinks Apple Is Ripping Off Customers On Their Warranties [AppleCare]
Apple’s one-year standard warranty is a pretty good deal for U.S. consumers, but for their European counterparts the glass is half empty.
The standard warranty in the E.U. for consumer goods is two years and that’s what is getting the Cupertino company into trouble with AppleCare, the paid extended warranty program.
Cult of Mac talked to Carlo Piana, a lawyer who worked on the EU anti-trust case against Microsoft, about why Italian regulators are after Apple now.