Users of Apple Inc’s iPhone and iPad now get a seven-day free trial on application software purchased through Apple’s App Store, Taipei City Government’s Law and Regulation Commission said yesterday after the company informed the commission it had established the new mechanism.
Apple yesterday announced the new mechanism on its Taiwanese App Store Web site, saying customers could return application software for a full refund within seven days of purchase. Customers who return the apps will no longer be authorized to use them.
Yeh Ching-yuan (葉慶元), director of the commission, applauded the new mechanism and said the seven-day free trial mechanism is only available for customers in Taiwan.
“This is a victory for customers in Taiwan and the commission will continue with its efforts to defend the rights of customers,” he said.
The commission had demanded that Apple and Google Inc start offering a seven-day free trial period for customers in accordance with the Consumer Protection Act (消保法), which requires a free trial period of at least seven days for items purchased on the Web because consumers cannot touch the goods they have purchased.
On June 4, the city government gave both companies a 15-day grace period to revise their app sales and service provisions to include a seven-day free trial mechanism, and Apple complied with the request.
Google was fined NT$1 million (US$34,550) by the city government last month for refusing to cooperate and it then removed the paid app section from its online store in Taiwan.
Google sent its Android policy counsel to discuss the issue with the commission on June 30 and agreed to make a final decision by yesterday on whether to cooperate with the city government.
Yeh said the commission had not heard from Google since the meeting last month and the commission would discuss whether to fine the company again if it still refuses to comply with the request.
“We expect Google to follow Apple’s lead and give us a positive response on the matter,” Yeh said.
Tropical Storm Gaemi strengthened into a typhoon at 2pm yesterday, and could make landfall in Yilan County tomorrow, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The agency was scheduled to issue a sea warning at 11:30pm yesterday, and could issue a land warning later today. Gaemi was moving north-northwest at 4kph, carrying maximum sustained winds near its center of up to 118.8kph and gusts of 154.8kph. The circumference is forecast to reach eastern Taiwan tomorrow morning, with the center making landfall in Yilan County later that night before departing from the north coast, CWA weather forecaster Kuan Shin-ping (官欣平) said yesterday. Uncertainty remains and
SEA WARNING LIKELY: The storm, named Gaemi, could become a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, with the Taipei City Government preparing for flooding A tropical depression east of the Philippines developed into a tropical storm named Gaemi at 2pm yesterday, and was moving toward eastern Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Gaemi could begin to affect Taiwan proper on Tuesday, lasting until Friday, and could develop into a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, it said. A sea warning for Gaemi could be issued as early as Tuesday morning, it added. Gaemi, the third tropical storm in the Pacific Ocean this typhoon season, is projected to begin moving northwest today, and be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday or Thursday, the agency said. Today, there would likely
DISRUPTIONS: The high-speed rail is to operate as normal, while several airlines either canceled flights or announced early departures or late arrivals Schools and offices in 15 cities and counties are to be closed today due to Typhoon Gaemi, local governments announced last night. The 15 are: Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Tainan, Keelung, Hsinchu and Kaohsiung, as well as Yilan, Hualien, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Lienchiang counties. People should brace for torrential rainfall brought by the storm, with its center forecast to make landfall on the east coast between tonight and tomorrow morning, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The agency issued a sea warning for the typhoon at 11:30pm on Monday, followed by a land warning at 11:30am yesterday. As of
CASUALTY: A 70-year-old woman was killed by a falling tree in Kaohsiung as the premier warned all government agencies to remain on high alert for the next 24 hours Schools and offices nationwide are to be closed for a second day today as Typhoon Gaemi crosses over the nation, bringing torrential rain and whipping winds. Gaemi was forecast to make landfall late last night. From Tuesday night, its outer band brought substantial rainfall and strong winds to the nation. As of 6:15pm last night, the typhoon’s center was 20km southeast of Hualien County, Central Weather Administration (CWA) data showed. It was moving at 19kph and had a radius of 250km. As of 3pm yesterday, one woman had died, while 58 people were injured, the Central Emergency Operation Center said. The 70-year-old