Nintendo, Sony, Microsoft among those warned by FTC - Report
Federal Trade Commission gave console makers, HTC, ASUS, and Hyundai 30 days to correct illegal warranty practices
Last month, the Federal Trade Commission announced that it was warning six companies to revise illegal warranty policies, but did not reveal which ones were targeted. Motherboard today reported that the companies in question are Sony, Microsoft, Nintendo, Hyundai, HTC, and ASUS.
Motherboard obtained the warning letters through a Freedom of Information Act request, showing that the FTC gave each company a 30-day deadline to change their official warranty policies. The FTC believes those companies' existing policies are violating a law that companies cannot put repair restrictions on devices they offer a warranty on.
"Warranty language that implies to a consumer acting reasonably under the circumstances that warranty coverage requires the consumer to purchase an article or service identified by brand, trade or corporate name is similarly deceptive and prohibited," FTC associate director of marketing practices Lois Greisman said in the letters.
The FTC believes each of the companies mentioned violated that law, with Microsoft explicitly stating the Xbox One warranty does not apply if a system is repaired by a third party, and Sony using a warranty-void-if-removed seal on the PlayStation 4.