Those reports about popping, melting and burning iPods? Apple doesn't want you to know about those.
Apple reportedly tried to quiet a family in Liverpool after an 11 year-old girl's iPod Touch exploded. In exchange for silence, Apple offered a refund to Ken Stanborough and his daughter Ellie. The Stanboroughs didn't take the bait, according to the Times, and instead went public on the offer.
"They’re putting a life sentence on myself, my daughter and Ellie’s mum, not to say anything to anyone," Stanborough told the Times. "If we inadvertently did say anything, no matter what, they would take litigation against us. I thought that was absolutely appalling."
Apple's letter asked the family to "keep the terms and existence of this settlement agreement completely confidential," and threatened that failure to do so "may result in Apple seeking injunctive relief, damages and legal costs against the defaulting persons or parties."
This isn't the first time Apple has tried to downplay reports of burning iPods. A reporter for Seattle-based KIRO-7 spent months fighting for documents from the Consumer Product Safety Commission on this issue, with Apple filing "exemption after exemption" to prevent the documents from getting out. In the end, the news station won thanks to the Freedom of Information Act, and turned up 15 incidents to write about.
A pattern is emerging here: If people want to talk about iPod defects, they will, and Apple is only bringing more attention to the matter by trying to hush people up. Moreover, Apple isn't resolving these incidents in a way that satisfies the customer. One mother said Apple didn't care that her daughter or others had been burned by the devices. A family in Ohio is suing Apple because a boy's iPod set on fire in his pocket. The Stanboroughs are offended that they could only get a refund by signing a gag order.
If Apple had tried to play the part of the caring, apologetic company, maybe it wouldn't be dealing with scorned customers crying foul to the news media.
