Chinese Apple Users Protest iMac Screen Problems

Dust getting into the screen was, before a few minutes ago, a computer problem that I wasn’t aware existed. But apparently it’s a real thing, and nearly 300 Chinese iMac users are upset enough about their apparently dusty screens that they’ve formed a protest group to demand an explanation from Apple.

The group, organized on Tencent’s QQ instant messaging network, already has three hundred iMac users, who have compiled their complaints into a table indicating the the issue affects 21.5-, 24- and 27-inch iMacs, and dates back to at least 2009. Members were especially incensed when they finally got a response from Apple, explaining that the dust in their monitors was due to the relatively poor air quality in many parts of China. One member even tried to sue Apple, via distributor Best Buy, in a Shanghai court, but the court would not accept the case.

It’s hard to be sure who is in the wrong here. The fact that only three hundred people are complaining about this issue would seem to indicate it’s a relatively small problem; then again, Apple’s desktop computers are much rarer in China than its mobile devices, so 300 iMac users represents a much bigger proportion of total Chinese iMac users than, say, 300 iPhone users. Still, it’s a very small never.

And, of course, Apple isn’t wrong about China’s air quality. Yes, air quality varies from day to day and place to place, but most Chinese cities have air that varies from ‘not too polluted’ to ‘practically apocalyptic.’ Desktop PC owners here in Beijing, for example, will be well aware of the excess amounts of dust that can build up inside a PC with remarkable speed when it is exposed to the polluted Beijing air.

Beyond the enviroment comment, Apple China seems to be ignoring the story for now; the company didn’t respond to repeated requests for comment from a Daily Economic News reporter covering the protest group. But the protesters aren’t willing to back down either. 300 people won’t be able to put any real pressure on the massive electronics company, but if those numbers swell and it becomes apparent this is a real problem with iMacs, Apple may be forced to fix the computers free of charge.

Or alternately, perhaps a judge could order Apple to fix China’s air quality. Lord knows someone needs to fix it, and I have a feeling Apple could probably do a better job of it than the Chinese government…

[Daily Economic News via Sina Tech]