Skip to main content

Apple issues warning to abusers of its App Store refund policy in Europe

iPhone 6
Apple recently made it possible for App Store users in Europe to get no-questions-asked refunds for app purchases that for whatever reason didn’t work out. The new system also applies for purchases made via iTunes and iBookstore, with customers given 14 days to ask for their money back.

Before the change, it was a case of contacting Apple directly, pleading your case, and hoping for the best. In other words, under the old system – or what continues to be the current system in the U.S. – a refund wasn’t always guaranteed.

The change for Europe-based Apple users sounds pretty darn helpful, it has to be said. However, it’s recently come to the Cupertino company’s attention that some users have found that the app continues to work even after the refund has been received. As the folks at 9to5Mac point out, all that actually happens is that the software gets deleted from your ‘Purchased’ account history, meaning you can’t re-download it again unless you pay. So if you’ve left it on your device, you’re good to keep on using it.

The tech company has apparently wised up to the shenanigans of those users who’ve been building up their app library through repeated download and refund requests, issuing them with a warning explaining that continued abuse of the system will result in the re-introduction of the old rules, where refunds are given on a case-by-case basis.

Apple will certainly be keen to stamp out such behavior early on, though developers striving to make a living off sales of their software will be even more anxious to see the company taking steps to eradicate the practice.

[Source: iDownload]

Editors' Recommendations

Trevor Mogg
Contributing Editor
Not so many moons ago, Trevor moved from one tea-loving island nation that drives on the left (Britain) to another (Japan)…
Don’t listen to billionaires like Elon Musk — app stores are fantastic
App store icon showing three notifications.

It’s time to celebrate the app store. Not just Apple’s App Store, but Google Play too. They are digital toy shops, full of wonders and joy, available to everyone who walks through the virtual door. When you’re inside you feel safe and secure, everything is in place for you to quickly pay for all your new things, so you walk away happy and satisfied.

App stores are the lifeblood of our smartphones, and trust me — you don’t want to know what it would be like without them. But let's imagine it for a moment because there has been a lot of noise over the past few days about app stores being bad places. Don’t listen, because this is only true if you’re a billionaire wanting to become, er, more of a billionaire.
Confidence and convenience

Read more
App subscription fatigue is quickly ruining my smartphone
App Store displayed on an iPhone 14 Pro against a pink background

When I first got an iPhone in 2008, I remember checking out web apps, which were basically websites that I would keep bookmarked on the home screen. Every time I opened them up, they somehow didn’t look like I just launched mobile Safari. Eventually, Apple launched the App Store in July 2008, mostly eliminating the need for antiquated web apps.

Since the App Store opened up, we've gotten to see innovative new apps and games that took our iPhones to a completely new level — showing us what our devices were capable of. I was excited to see and hear about new apps for a variety of things, from task managers to camera replacement apps to photo editors to journals and so much more. Games were also making use of the iPhone’s accelerometer and gyroscope sensors, so it wasn’t just always about touchscreen controls.

Read more
I used an app to create 3D models with my iPhone, and it’s shockingly great
Alan Truly captures a 3D model of a figurine with an iPhone 13 Pro Max

The pace of innovation in artificial intelligence image generation is phenomenal. One company — Luma Labs — provides an excellent example of a practical, yet hugely entertaining use of the latest technology applied to 3D images.

Luma AI is in beta testing on the iPhone and eventually will be made available on Android as well. I got into the beta test group and can share some information about what this amazing app does and how easy it is to get incredible results.
What is Luma AI?

Read more