[isugimpy]

Post author called out the warranty multiple times. If you're in the USA, at least, bear in mind that doing what's described in the post does not void the warranty. The Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act explicitly requires the manufacturer to prove that your action caused the negative impact the warranty claim is made against, otherwise they legally can't void your warranty.

[darkpuma]

If Apple decides to flagrantly break that law, what options does an individual consumer have? Is there a government agency that will fight on behalf of that consumer, or does the consumer have to hire their own lawyer?

[crooked-v]

Small claims court can cover up to at least $5,000 or $10,000 in most states, and is generally friendly to the layman or may even ban the use of trained lawyers in some locations.

[chrisseaton]

> may even ban the use of trained lawyers in some locations

So who do companies send to defend themselves?

[jdietrich]

They often don't bother - the cost of sending a representative is frequently greater than the cost of paying the judgement.

[torstenvl]

A representative, usually a regional customer service executive or analogous. They'll often try to deal out first (it may be small claims court's policy to try mediation first).

[k_sze]

Maybe legal executives who have studied enough law but not entered the Bar (on purpose?).

[brianpgordon]

So all of those fancy holographic foil "warranty void if removed" stickers are pure mind games?

[toast0]

Yes. Those haven't meant anything since at least the end of the 90s.

Caveat: at least in the US. What shenanigans manufacturers can and can't pull in other countries is beyond my knowledge.

[alias_neo]

I contacted MSI about my then new laptop back in 2015. I wanted to add an additional two SSDs (it had an empty m.2 slot and a spinning 2.5" and the OS on a single m.2 SSD).

The problem was that to remove the bottom, I'd have to destroy a warranty void sticker.

I emailed them and they replied in no time at all confirming that removing the sticker to perform the upgrade was not an issue and would not affect my warranty.

I'm in the UK.

It is my understanding that here in Europe, the same rules will be honoured with respect to warranty void stickers so long as you don't cause damage while voiding the sticker to perform whatever it is you're doing.

[saagarjha]

The author is from India, FWIW.

[isugimpy]

I figured it was something to that effect, but it's still helpful to call out the consumer protections since a significant portion of Apple's customer base is in the USA.