[rickmb]

Although they are absolutely right, it should also be said that Apple is far from unique. Many electronics shops and manufactures have warranty policies and try to sell extra warranty whilst EU consumer laws already mandate minimal warranty standards. As a consumer you almost always have to explicitly assert your rights or you'll get screwed.

Apple has just made itself a high profile target with it's AppleCare Protection Plan, and it doesn't help that Apple is being systematically uncooperative when consumers claim their warranty rights.

[vacri]

It doesn't help either that Apple markets itself as premium quality hardware rather than cheap junk. If you were buying cheap chinese knock-offs, you wouldn't gain much sympathy when they didn't honour the two-year minimum, but when you buy 'the premium brand', it's a different story.