Apple is up to its old tricks again. It may produce brilliantly iconic products but the company remains in the Dark Ages when it comes to embracing criticism. The latest incident involves an exploding iPod in Liverpool. Apple agreed to refund the owners – but only on the condition that they sign a non disclosure agreement – and threatened that any breach of confidentiality “may result in Apple seeking injunctive relief, damages and legal costs against the defaulting persons or parties”. Pretty strong stuff and not the sort of thing you expect to receive from a company that is clearly at fault.
It is also pretty naive behaviour by Apple – most people on receiving this type of aggressive, non apology would be tempted to take their story to the media – which is exactly what happened in this case. Apple’s legal department may have thought that they were protecting the company’s reputation, but this heavy handed way of dealing with genuine customer issues makes it appear that Apple has something to hide. It also turns a relatively minor incident into a national news story. This is what happens when you allow lawyers rather than marketing or PR experts to manage brands.