[Amazon's PlayStation refund may set precedent with updates that remove features| News | TechRadar UK]

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Subject: [Pimlical] (OT) Amazon's PlayStation refund may set precedent
with updates that remove features| News | TechRadar UK

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Amazon's PlayStation refund may set precedent with updates that remove
features| News | TechRadar UK
http://www.techradar.com/news/gaming/consoles/amazon-s-playstation-refund-may-set-precedent-682485

Although this Link refers to Playstation, it effects Updates to
Smartphones, where an Update takes away a feature that was originally
advertised at the point sale, and held for 6 years. (Like Taking away
ipod emulation in Palm Pre, or removing Flash or other feature within 6
years of purchasing a smartphone.

These are laws in Europe and UK. to protect buyers.

Here Is Part Quotes____
Amazon has reportedly partially-refunded a man for his PlayStation 3
purchase after he claimed that the removal of the option to have Linux
on the console rendered it not fit for purpose.

The furore over Sony's decision to remove the option to install other
operating systems on the PlayStation has not only sparked a war of
words, but now could have a commercial impact.

According to PlayStation University one owner has been granted a partial
refund, without having to return the console, after citing Directive
1999/44/EC which deals with products being fit for the 'purpose which
the consumer requires them and which was made known to the seller at the
time of purchase'.

Repercussions

Although confirming the story is proving difficult (TechRadar has
contacted both Amazon and Sony but has not yet had replies), the
repercussions if Amazon has offered a refund in this case could be huge.

TechRadar's early investigations suggest that , if the feature was
considered as an advertised function at the point of sale, then removing
it could indeed cause problems under the UK's Sale of Goods Act - which
is enforcable for six years after purchase in England and five in Scotland.

It is the seller (ie Amazon in this case) rather than the manufacturer
who must refund the money, but it's clear that taking away any
advertised feature with a firmware upgrade could become a thorny area
for companies.

END QUOTE___

So, If I Buy a Smartphone, here in England, I should be protected from
the Smartphone maker removing any features that were advertised, at time
of purchase, for a period of 6 years.

What I don't Understand, though, is why, when Microsoft removed some
Cool features in Microsoft Office, with Microsoft Update, when they
decided they did not want to pay royalties to a company who said
Microsoft had used their patents without permission, instead of paying.
Should Microsoft Office Users, in UK, have received some kind of partial
refund for broken promises?

:-)

Sorry for Typos


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]



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Voytek

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