Consumer watchdog concerned over short warranty period and high repair costs for smartphones

The Consumer Council urged the mobile phone industry to improve the transparency of its maintenance information and to extend the inventory period of spare parts, with reference to European Union Regulations, to maximize product durability and lifespan as well as reduce electronic waste.

This came after the watchdog surveyed the after-sales warranties, extended warranties, and out-of-warranty repair service coverage and charges for six mobile phone brands and 11 earbud brands, of which six were also smartphone brands. 

The nine surveyed smartphones, with prices ranging between HK$2,699 and HK$15,988, only have a one-year warranty each, which applies to damages neither caused by human factors nor accidents.

The watchdog found that the cost of repairing a cracked phone screen under the after-sales warranty ranged from HK$483 to HK$5,770, equivalent to 17.9 percent to 36.1 percent of the retail price of the respective mobile phones, indicating a significant difference. 

In addition, even if the consumers purchased the extended warranty programs (EWPs), it did not mean the damages would be repaired unconditionally or free of charge. For instance, the watchdog found that the cost of repairing the back camera within the extended period ranged from HK$400 to HK$1,055. 

The Council added that even if the products were more expensive, it did not correlate to longer warranty periods.

It also surveyed wireless Bluetooth earbuds and found that the after-sales warranty periods varied greatly, with eight brands offering 12 months, and three brands offering 2 years or 36 months.

They also found that brands offering longer warranty periods had higher retail prices for their products, which is more reasonable for consumers.

The Council called on the industries to review their extended warranty and maintenance policies and recommends consumers learn more about the scope of free protection before purchasing an extended warranty.