À̹ÌÁö È®´ë Warranty period for smartphones will be doubled to two years in Korea, starting next year.
Korea¡¯s Fair Trade Commission said Wednesday it has revised consumer dispute settlement regulations to extend the manufacturer¡¯s warranty period for smartphones to two years from current one year. The revised guideline is applicable for the handsets sold in the country from the beginning of next year.
Local smartphone makers Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics have been accused for discriminating consumers at home by offering shorter warranty than certain offshore markets. The one-year warranty period for smartphone¡¯s battery will be kept the same, given its short life.
The manufacturer¡¯s warranty period for laptop motherboard will be doubled to two years from current one year, and match that of desktop computer¡¯s motherboard.
The standard on warranty period for tablet PCs will be set for the first time - one year, with four years mandatory to keep spare parts in stock.
The new regulations, however, do not have a binding force as they are recommendatory. The industry however promised compliance to the new rules. The FTC reportedly also has finished negotiations with foreign brand Apple.
By Choi Hee-seok and Cho Jeehyun
[¨Ï Pulse by Maeil Business Newspaper & mk.co.kr, All rights reserved]