Apple Chief Executive Steve Cook on Monday issued an
apology letter published on the company's Chinese website, vowed to revamp aspects of its customer-service policies in China.
In the letter, Mr. Cook said that the company deeply reflected on recent "feedback" on its warranty policies and apologized for misunderstandings created by poor communication with consumers.
"We are aware that a lack of communications...led to the perception that Apple is arrogant and doesn't care or attach enough importance to consumer feedback," Mr. Cook said, according to the letter. "We express our sincere apologies for any concerns or misunderstandings this gave consumers."
Apple has been criticized in China's media. China's national broadcaster, China Central Television (CCTV) and The People's Daily have accused Apple of skirting warranty periods, adopting customer-service policies that discriminate against Chinese customers, and formulating an inadequate and arrogant response to the reports. Both CCTV and the People's Daily said that Apple didn't offer customers new phones if they brought in damaged or defective phones, unlike in other countries. They also said Apple didn't give consumers a new one-year warranty after their phone was fixed.
Mr. Cook promised Apple would amend its warranty policies for the iPhone 4 and 4S, streamline its customer feedback, give further training to Apple authorized resellers on warranty policy, and more clearly post its warranty policy on its website. He said that Apple would extend warranties on repaired models of the iPhone 4 and 4S to one year for any phone repaired after April 1, 2012. The company will also now replace any broken iPhone 4 or 4S with a new phone.