By Ben Lovejoy
The UK's Financial Ombudsman has opened an investigation into whether
Apple
discriminates against severely disabled customers through its
iPhone Upgrade Program conditions.
The complaint was filed by Colin Hughes, a quadriplegic Apple user who says
he is unable to comply with Apple UK's requirement to visit a store in
person.
Hughes previously shared with 9to5Mac his views on what Apple gets right and
wrong in its
accessibility
features for those unable to use their arms.
In the UK, Apple requires customers to physically visit an Apple Store in
order to either enroll in the iPhone Upgrade Program, or to renew it. Hughes
first raised the issue with Apple in 2019, and says that the company
initially told him nothing could be done.
block quote
I am severely disabled with muscular dystrophy, a full-time wheelchair user,
housebound a lot of the time, and unable to travel by car or public
transport
to my nearest Apple Store on Regent Street in central London.
When I spotted the "only in an Apple Store" requirement I was concerned but
decided to seek clarification by contacting the company's online customer
services.
I thought, surely in this day and age, they could make an exception for
people in my situation.
I didn't get anywhere on the telephone but in correspondence Apple told me:
"it is a Barclay's requirement to visit the retail store in order to sign
the
Upgrade Programme agreement". The tech giant offered me no alternative ways
of accessing the Programme. I was told there were no exceptions and the
IPhone
Upgrade Programme was only available in store.
block quote end
After he went to the media, Apple did eventually make alternative
arrangements, but he faced the same battle all over again last year.
Although the Cupertino
company made it possible to renew, they insisted in emails seen by us that
he signed an acknowledgement that this was a one-off arrangement and would
not
be offered again in 2021.
UK law requires companies to make "reasonable adjustments" to ensure that
they do not discriminate against disabled people, and Hughes says there are
a
number of perfectly easy ways for Apple or its finance partner Barclays to
do so.
block quote
For example, I could have sent in signed forms and ID by post, or with a
carer who could visit the store with them on my behalf. Apple rejected this
as
an option.
I could have visited a branch of Barclays Bank. There is one very near me
within reachable distance in my wheelchair, where my ID and signature for a
credit
agreement could have been verified.
block quote end
Apple rejected all these options.
The Financial Ombudsman has confirmed that the complaint meets the tests to
warrant assigning an investigator, and has accordingly launched a formal
investigation
into both Apple and Barclays.
We've reached out to Apple for comment, and will update with any response.
https://9to5mac.com/2021/05/11/apple-discriminates-against-disabled-people-s
ays-complaint/
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