Consumer Rights Wiki - User contributions [en]

Cricut

2025-01-30T00:35:46Z

Cammy: Added company information

{{StubNotice}}
'''Cricut, Inc.''' is an American brand of cutting plotters, or motorised cutting machines, designed for home crafters. The machines are used for cutting paper, felt, vinyl, fabric plus materials such as leather, matboard, and wood.

== Controversies ==
In 2020 Cricut tried to change their TOS that the machine you bought an paid for would require a subscription if you used it more then 20 times in a month. There was backlash and they went back on this change striking through the statement on their website <ref>https://cricut.com/blog/new-features-and-updates-coming-to-design-space/</ref>

==References==
<references />

File:Cricut.png

2025-01-30T00:31:27Z

Cammy:

Cricut

2025-01-30T00:29:21Z

Cammy: Added reference

{{StubNotice}}
In 2020 Cricut tried to change their TOS that the machine you bought an paid for would require a subscription if you used it more then 20 times in a month. There was backlash and they went back on this change striking through the statement on their website <ref>https://cricut.com/blog/new-features-and-updates-coming-to-design-space/</ref>

== References ==
<references />

Autodesk

2025-01-29T22:28:45Z

Cammy:

{{StubNotice}}

{{InfoboxCompany
| Company = Autodesk, Inc.
| Name = Autodesk
| Type = Public
| Founded = 1982
| Industry = Software
| Official Website = https://autodesk.com/
| Logo = Autodesk.png
}}[[wikipedia:Autodesk|'''Autodesk, Inc.''']] is an American software company headquartered in San Francisco, California, that provides software products and services for the architecture, engineering, construction, manufacturing, media, education, and entertainment industries. The company was founded in 1982 by John Walker, who was a co-author of the first versions of AutoCAD.<ref><nowiki>https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/06/technology/john-walker-dead.html</nowiki></ref>

Autodesk primarily develops and maintains computer-aided design (CAD) software used globally across many engineering and design industries. Autodesk's vast array of proprietary software allows their programs to interoperate, allowing for cloud-based building information management (BIM) collaboration between owners, architects, engineers, and contractors.<ref><nowiki>https://www.autodesk.com/products/bim-collaborate/overview?plc=COLLRP&term=1-YEAR&tab=subscription</nowiki></ref>

==Popular products==
*AutoCAD - Autodesk's flagship CAD software, used for freeform 2D and 3D design.
*Revit - 3D design software that is primarily used by architects, engineers, and structural designers to design, draft, and model buildings and other structures.
*Autodesk Inventor - 3D digital modeling
*Fusion 360 - 3D digital modeling
*Civil 3D - 3D design focused on civil infrastructure
*3ds Max - 3D Animation
*Maya - 3D Animation

==Controversies==

{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Controversy
!Year
!Background Info
!Aftermath
!Related Article
!Related Video(s)
|-
|Ending existing lifetime subscriptions
|2023
|Youtuber Ian Davis owned a permanent standalone license for Autodesk Product Design Suite Ultimate 2013 which failed to renew itself. Autodesk refused to issue a new license without an additional subscription purchase. <ref>https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/previous-version-support/need-activation-code-for-autocad-2013-full-version/td-p/11978768</ref>
|None
|
|<nowiki>https://youtube.com/watch?v=OHY9K8X45XA</nowiki>
|-
|Discontinuing Win 10 support
|2026
|In 2024, Autodesk announced that Autodesk Fusion would no-longer be supported for Windows 10 users after January 2026. Stated in their support article, "Autodesk will no longer consider Windows 10 for Validation, bug fixing, and product support of future releases." The phrasing has rightfully baffled consumers and with a lack of elaboration from support teams, it is unknown whether or not existing installs will no-longer function, especially the line "existing installations cannot be repaired or reinstalled." is confusing and leaves questions open. <ref>https://www.autodesk.com/support/technical/article/caas/sfdcarticles/sfdcarticles/Fusion-Announcing-End-of-Support-for-Windows-10.html?_ga=2.208606034.1190329573.1738186074-1680147263.1738186073</ref>
|Discontinuation yet to occur
|[[Autodesk Fusion ends support for Windows 10]]
|
|}

==References==
<references />

[[Category:Software companies]]
[[Category:Autodesk]]

Autodesk

2025-01-29T22:26:39Z

Cammy:

{{StubNotice}}

{{InfoboxCompany
| Company = Autodesk, Inc.
| Name = Autodesk
| Type = Public
| Founded = 1982
| Industry = Software
| Official Website = https://autodesk.com/
| Logo = Autodesk.png
}}[[wikipedia:Autodesk|'''Autodesk, Inc.''']] is an American software company headquartered in San Francisco, California, that provides software products and services for the architecture, engineering, construction, manufacturing, media, education, and entertainment industries. The company was founded in 1982 by John Walker, who was a co-author of the first versions of AutoCAD.<ref><nowiki>https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/06/technology/john-walker-dead.html</nowiki></ref>

Autodesk primarily develops and maintains computer-aided design (CAD) software used globally across many engineering and design industries. Autodesk's vast array of proprietary software allows their programs to interoperate, allowing for cloud-based building information management (BIM) collaboration between owners, architects, engineers, and contractors.<ref><nowiki>https://www.autodesk.com/products/bim-collaborate/overview?plc=COLLRP&term=1-YEAR&tab=subscription</nowiki></ref>

==Popular products==
*AutoCAD - Autodesk's flagship CAD software, used for freeform 2D and 3D design.
*Revit - 3D design software that is primarily used by architects, engineers, and structural designers to design, draft, and model buildings and other structures.
*Autodesk Inventor - 3D digital modeling
*Fusion 360 - 3D digital modeling
*Civil 3D - 3D design focused on civil infrastructure
*3ds Max - 3D Animation
*Maya - 3D Animation

==Controversies==

{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Controversy
!Year
!Background Info
!Aftermath
!Related Article
!Related Video(s)
|-
|Ending existing lifetime subscriptions
|2023
|Youtuber Ian Davis owned a permanent standalone license for Autodesk Product Design Suite Ultimate 2013 which failed to renew itself. Autodesk refused to issue a new license without an additional subscription purchase.
|None
|
|<nowiki>https://youtube.com/watch?v=OHY9K8X45XA</nowiki>
|-
|Discontinuing Win 10 support
|2026
|In 2024, Autodesk announced that Autodesk Fusion would no-longer be supported for Windows 10 users after January 2026. Stated in their support article, "Autodesk will no longer consider Windows 10 for Validation, bug fixing, and product support of future releases." The phrasing has rightfully baffled consumers and with a lack of elaboration from support teams, it is unknown whether or not existing installs will no-longer function, especially the line "existing installations cannot be repaired or reinstalled." is confusing and leaves questions open. <ref>https://www.autodesk.com/support/technical/article/caas/sfdcarticles/sfdcarticles/Fusion-Announcing-End-of-Support-for-Windows-10.html?_ga=2.208606034.1190329573.1738186074-1680147263.1738186073</ref>
|Discontinuation yet to occur
|[[Autodesk Fusion ends support for Windows 10]]
|
|}

==References==
<references />

[[Category:Software companies]]
[[Category:Autodesk]]

Autodesk

2025-01-29T22:23:23Z

Cammy: Added a relevant phase from article

{{StubNotice}}

{{InfoboxCompany
| Company = Autodesk, Inc.
| Name = Autodesk
| Type = Public
| Founded = 1982
| Industry = Software
| Official Website = https://autodesk.com/
| Logo = Autodesk.png
}}[[wikipedia:Autodesk|'''Autodesk, Inc.''']] is an American software company headquartered in San Francisco, California, that provides software products and services for the architecture, engineering, construction, manufacturing, media, education, and entertainment industries. The company was founded in 1982 by John Walker, who was a co-author of the first versions of AutoCAD.<ref><nowiki>https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/06/technology/john-walker-dead.html</nowiki></ref>

Autodesk primarily develops and maintains computer-aided design (CAD) software used globally across many engineering and design industries. Autodesk's vast array of proprietary software allows their programs to interoperate, allowing for cloud-based building information management (BIM) collaboration between owners, architects, engineers, and contractors.<ref><nowiki>https://www.autodesk.com/products/bim-collaborate/overview?plc=COLLRP&term=1-YEAR&tab=subscription</nowiki></ref>

==Popular products==
*AutoCAD - Autodesk's flagship CAD software, used for freeform 2D and 3D design.
*Revit - 3D design software that is primarily used by architects, engineers, and structural designers to design, draft, and model buildings and other structures.
*Autodesk Inventor - 3D digital modeling
*Fusion 360 - 3D digital modeling
*Civil 3D - 3D design focused on civil infrastructure
*3ds Max - 3D Animation
*Maya - 3D Animation

==Controversies==

{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Controversy
!Year
!Background Info
!Aftermath
!Related Article
!Related Video(s)
|-
|Ending existing lifetime subscriptions
|2023
|Youtuber Ian Davis owned a permanent standalone license for Autodesk Product Design Suite Ultimate 2013 which failed to renew itself. Autodesk refused to issue a new license without an additional subscription purchase.
|None
|
|<nowiki>https://youtube.com/watch?v=OHY9K8X45XA</nowiki>
|-
|Discontinuing Win 10 support
|2026
|In 2024, Autodesk announced that Autodesk Fusion would no-longer be supported for Windows 10 users after January 2026. Stated in their support article, "Autodesk will no longer consider Windows 10 for Validation, bug fixing, and product support of future releases." The phrasing has rightfully baffled consumers and with a lack of elaboration from support teams, it is unknown whether or not existing installs will no-longer function, especially the line "existing installations cannot be repaired or reinstalled." is confusing and leaves questions open.
|Discontinuation yet to occur
|[[Autodesk Fusion ends support for Windows 10]]
|
|}

==References==
<references />

[[Category:Software companies]]
[[Category:Autodesk]]

MakerBot

2025-01-29T18:22:28Z

Cammy: Added references

{{StubNotice}}{{clear}}{{InfoboxCompany
| Name = MakerBot
| Type = Subsidiary
| Founded = 2009
| Industry = Technology
| Official Website = https://makerbot.com/
| Logo = MakerBot_Logo.png

}}'''[[wikipedia:MakerBot|MakerBot Industries, LLC]]''' was an American technology company specializing in the design and manufacture of 3D printing peripherals and accessories. Originally on offshoot of the [[wikipedia:RepRap|RepRap]] project, MakerBot initially produced open-source kit printers and operated the public project repository: Thingiverse - which MakerBot's founders created in 2008. In 2012 with the launch of it's Replicator 2 3D printer, MakerBot fully pivoted to closed-source consumer and enterprise machines. It was acquired by [[Stratasys]] in June 2013.<ref>https://www.forbes.com/sites/kellyclay/2013/06/19/3d-printing-company-makerbot-acquired-in-604-million-deal/#4f6d94091ef8</ref>

MakerBot was at one point, the market leader in desktop FDM 3D printers, but it's market dominance was steadily eroded by an explosion in popularity of less-expensive, open-source competitors.<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20171027020235/https://fortune.com/2015/11/27/why-makerbot-and-3d-systems-are-losing-the-desktop-3d-market/</ref> Its closed-source machines and business practices proved to be unpopular with the largely DIY-focused maker community. Starting in 2015, MakerBot began to focus more on the enterprise and education markets, ultimately abandoning the consumer market by 2017. It also laid off hundreds of employees during this time.<ref>https://www.vice.com/en/article/makerbot-just-laid-off-20-percent-of-its-staff/</ref><ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20170702132043/https://fortune.com/2017/02/15/makerbot-3d-printing-layoffs/</ref>

On August 31, 2022, Stratasys finalized a merger between MakerBot and its long-time market competitor Ultimaker.<ref>https://investors.stratasys.com/news-events/press-releases/detail/793/stratasys-completes-merger-of-makerbot-with-ultimaker</ref> The merged company is known as Ultimaker, with the MakerBot branding only retained for its Sketch line of education-focused 3D printers.
{{Clear}}
==Controversies==
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Controversy
!Year
!Background Info
!Aftermath
!Related Article
!Related Video(s)
|-
|Switch to closed-source
|2012
|MakerBot abandoned its original open-source business practices in favor of developing closed-source machines with proprietary components and software.<ref>https://www.cnet.com/tech/tech-industry/pulling-back-from-open-source-hardware-makerbot-angers-some-adherents/</ref>
|The move was unpopular with consumers, and MakerBot began to lose its market share to less-expensive, open-source 3D printers over the course of the next decade.
|
|
|-
|Thingiverse terms of use
|2012
|MakerBot updated the Thingiverse [[terms of use]], appearing to assert ownership over anything uploaded to the site, despite users being allowed to dictate their own usage terms under Creative Commons.<ref>https://hackaday.com/2012/09/20/makerbot-occupy-thingiverse-and-the-reality-of-selling-open-hardware/</ref>
|Ongoing, even after the absorption of MakerBot by Ultimaker in 2022.
|
|-
|Accusations of IP theft
|2014
|MakerBot was accused of stealing and patenting user-uploaded designs from its public design repository, Thingiverse.<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20160501050442/http://3dprintingindustry.com/2014/05/28/makerbot-become-takerbot/</ref>
|MakerBot denied wrongdoing and showed its patents were filed before the contested designs were shared, but the accusation highlighted ongoing concerns with Thingiverse's terms of use.<ref>https://techcrunch.com/2014/05/28/makerbot-responds-to-critics-who-claim-it-is-stealing-community-ip/</ref>
|
|
|-
|Smart Extruder unreliability
|2015
|Makerbot was hit with a [[class-action lawsuit]], claiming the Smart Extruder for its fifth-generation printers was deliberately engineered to fail in order to boost sales for replacement components.<ref>https://makezine.com/article/digital-fabrication/3d-printing-workshop/makerbot-faces-class-action-lawsuit-over-faulty-extruders/</ref>
|The suit was dismissed by the court, which decided that MakerBot did not mislead customers.<ref>https://3dprintingindustry.com/news/class-action-makerbot-dismissed-85388/</ref> MakerBot would later release a more reliable, albeit more expensive Smart Extruder+.<ref>https://www.theverge.com/2016/1/4/10677740/new-makerbot-smart-extruder-plus-3d-printer-ces-2016</ref>
|
|
|}

===References:===
<references />
<references group="Video References" />

[[Category:3D printer companies]]

YouTube

2025-01-29T13:29:41Z

Cammy: Proper references

{{StubNotice}}

{{InfoboxProductLine
| Title = YouTube
| Release Year = 2005
| Product Type = Video sharing and streaming
| In Production = Yes
| Official Website = https://youtube.com
| Logo = YouTube.png
}}

'''[[wikipedia:YouTube|YouTube]]''', founded in 2005 by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim, is a global video-sharing platform and one of the most visited websites in the world. Acquired by [[Google]] in 2006, YouTube has since become the dominant platform for sharing videos on the internet.

YouTube's business model is built around advertising revenue, with creators earning money through ad views, subscriptions, and other monetization options. The platform hosts a wide range of content, including music videos, tutorials, news, vlogs, and live streams. YouTube has also begun offering subscription services, such as YouTube Premium and YouTube TV, for ad-free experiences, exclusive content, and live television.<ref>[[wikipedia:YouTube|YouTube]]</ref>

YouTube has faced criticism and regulatory scrutiny on multiple fronts. Concerns have been raised about content moderation policies, the platform's role in the spread of misinformation, and its impact on user privacy, particularly in relation to data collection practices. Additionally, YouTube has been under fire for its algorithms, which some argue promote harmful or divisive content to maximize engagement.

==Googles crackdown on ad blockers==
It is reported that in Googles crackdown on ad-blockers some users are inexplicably receiving hour long advertisements, in which speculations rise are a crackdown on ad blocking extensions <ref>[https://www.androidpolice.com/youtube-hours-continuous-ads-google-says-not-bug/ YouTube is serving up hours of continuous ads for some, but Google says it's not a bug].</ref><ref>https://www.pcworld.com/article/2590352/hours-long-unskippable-ads-spotted-on-youtube-whats-going-on.html</ref>

==References==
<references />
[[Category:Google]]
[[Category:Social media companies]]

YouTube

2025-01-29T12:32:41Z

Cammy:

{{StubNotice}}

{{InfoboxProductLine
| Title = YouTube
| Release Year = 2005
| Product Type = Video sharing and streaming
| In Production = Yes
| Official Website = https://youtube.com
| Logo = YouTube.png
}}

'''[[wikipedia:YouTube|YouTube]]''', founded in 2005 by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim, is a global video-sharing platform and one of the most visited websites in the world. Acquired by [[Google]] in 2006, YouTube has since become the dominant platform for sharing videos on the internet.

YouTube's business model is built around advertising revenue, with creators earning money through ad views, subscriptions, and other monetization options. The platform hosts a wide range of content, including music videos, tutorials, news, vlogs, and live streams. YouTube has also begun offering subscription services, such as YouTube Premium and YouTube TV, for ad-free experiences, exclusive content, and live television.

YouTube has faced criticism and regulatory scrutiny on multiple fronts. Concerns have been raised about content moderation policies, the platform's role in the spread of misinformation, and its impact on user privacy, particularly in relation to data collection practices. Additionally, YouTube has been under fire for its algorithms, which some argue promote harmful or divisive content to maximize engagement.

== Googles crackdown on ad blockers ==
It is reported that in Googles crackdown on ad-blockers some users are inexplicably receiving hour long advertisements, in which speculations rise are a crackdown on ad blocking extensions [https://www.androidpolice.com/youtube-hours-continuous-ads-google-says-not-bug/]

== References ==

# [[wikipedia:YouTube|YouTube]]
# [https://www.pcworld.com/article/2590352/hours-long-unskippable-ads-spotted-on-youtube-whats-going-on.html Hours-long unskippable ads spotted on YouTube. What’s going on?] .
# [https://www.androidpolice.com/youtube-hours-continuous-ads-google-says-not-bug/ YouTube is serving up hours of continuous ads for some, but Google says it's not a bug].

[[Category:Google]]
[[Category:Social media companies]]

File:DAZN Logo Master.svg

2025-01-29T12:12:10Z

Cammy:

DAZN

2025-01-29T12:10:16Z

Cammy:

{{Incomplete}}
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DAZN DAZN] is a British owned sports broadcasting/streaming website

==Cancellation Difficulties==
DAZN proposes that you can both sign up and cancel your subscription to streaming services at any time. This is in contrast to the fact that once the 30 day trial is up, the members are kept locked into a subscription service as credit card information is required at the time of initial sign up for services. The ToS of DAZN contain a forced arbitration wherein by subscribing you wave all rights to any compensation by any class action lawsuit. (See lines '''17. Mandatory Individual Arbitration''') [https://web.archive.org/web/20240815150309/https://help.dazn.com/hc/en-us/articles/16391473315101-Terms-of-Use]

Signing up for the service is a few minute process. Trying to unsubscribe from the service requires you to talk with an in-house agent. Said agents appear to never be available. The only recourse one has to keep DAZN from charging your card monthly is to cancel all charges being put on the account from that vendor.

==References==

# [https://web.archive.org/web/20240815150309/https://help.dazn.com/hc/en-us/articles/16391473315101-Terms-of-Use TERMS OF USE: DAZN US LLC]

DAZN

2025-01-29T12:08:22Z

Cammy:

{{Incomplete}}
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DAZN DAZN] is a British owned sports broadcasting/streaming website

==Cancellation Difficulties==
DAZN proposes that you can both sign up and cancel your subscription to streaming services at any time. This is in contrast to the fact that once the 30 day trial is up, the members are kept locked into a subscription service as credit card information is required at the time of initial sign up for services. The ToS of DAZN contain a forced arbitration wherein by subscribing you wave all rights to any compensation by any class action lawsuit. (See lines '''17. Mandatory Individual Arbitration''') [https://web.archive.org/web/20240815150309/https://help.dazn.com/hc/en-us/articles/16391473315101-Terms-of-Use]

Signing up for the service is a few minute process. Trying to unsubscribe from the service requires you to talk with an in-house agent. Said agents appear to never be available. The only recourse one has to keep DAZN from charging your card monthly is to cancel all charges being put on the account from that vendor.

== References ==
<nowiki>https://web.archive.org/web/20240815150309/https://help.dazn.com/hc/en-us/articles/16391473315101-Terms-of-Use</nowiki>

Sony x900h television

2025-01-29T02:46:15Z

Cammy: Small change but a little clarity in advance

{{Incomplete}}

Sony never fixed the blur issue in their X900H TV. It was advertised as supporting 4K120.<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20210111215436/https://www.sony.ca/en/electronics/televisions/xbr-x900h-series/specifications</ref><ref>https://www.avsforum.com/threads/owners-thread-for-the-sony-x900h-no-price-talk.3125278/page-1819</ref>

Following this they decide to band-aid hoping nobody would notice by applying a sharpening filter as claimed in this article [https://videocardz.com/newz/sony-fixes-4k120hz-blurriness-on-x900h-xh90-tvs-by-applying-a-sharpening-filter]

[[File:Screenshot 8-11-2020.png|thumb|4k120 feature advertising ]]

==References==
<references />
[[Category:Sony]]
[[Category:Products]]

Fiio

2025-01-29T01:14:09Z

Cammy: Removed a temporary filler

{{InfoboxCompany
| Name = Fiio
| Type = Limited liability company
| Founded = 2007
| Industry = Audio Equipment
| Official Website = https://fiio.com/
| Logo = Fiio.webp
}}

'''FiiO Electronics Technology Company, Ltd.''', or simply '''FiiO''', is a Chinese electronics company founded in 2007 that primarily manufactures audio equipment.<ref>https://www.fiio.com/About_FiiO</ref> Its products include portable music players, audio amplifiers and DACs, earphones, as well as various cables and accessories.<ref>https://www.fiio.com/brand_introduction</ref> FiiO owns a subsidiary Jade Audio, which also manufactures audio equipmentFiiO Electronics Technology Company, Ltd., or simply FiiO, is a Chinese electronics company founded in 2007 that primarily manufactures audio equipment. Its products include portable music players, audio amplifiers and DACs, earphones, as well as various cables and accessories. FiiO owns a subsidiary Jade Audio, which also manufactures audio equipment

Numerous users across the web have complained and shared experiences that their hands were tied when their products broke under warranty and had to [https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/s/Q08IQ0vJOd eat the expenses of shipping to China]

Recently I caught wind of a situation where a user's battery of an under one-year-old $1500 Fiio M17 Music Player had swelled within the manufacturer's warranty period of 1 year and was refused service. See below for a direct quote from an email received from the official service and warranty team the customer was sent to in their respective country.

===Here a reply previous to the following*===
"Hello. Displays and batteries are generally not covered under warranty after more than six months from the date of purchase.
[[File:Screenshot 20250129.jpg|thumb]]
[[File:Image-24.png|thumb]]

Best Regards, Your FiiO Shop Team"
[[File:Image.png|thumb]]

==='''*Below is a response directly accusing the customer of wrongdoing'''===
"Hello, a withdrawal from the purchase contract is only possible within the 14-day withdrawal period.

The error cause for your bloated battery could be: Wrong charge, wrong fast charger, wrong charge cycles. Many possible scenarios could be the cause.

Our offer is still valid for battery replacement.

It is best to charge and discharge a battery slowly and in a controlled manner, use it at moderate temperatures, and protect it from damage or violent shocks. Avoid using inferior or damaged charging cables or adapters, as this can lead to uncontrolled, uneven, or excessive charging, which can cause damage or even a fire.

Charging the battery to 100% or fully discharging it for a long period of time can also shorten the battery life. If you don't plan to use your device for several weeks, you should discharge/charge it to about 40% and turn it off beforehand. High temperatures can also reduce the performance of a battery, so don't leave your phone in the car on a hot day."

Here is a direct link to the company's confusing, sparse, and misleading warranty terms: [https://www.fiio.com/serviceinsurance]

==References==
<references />
[[Category:Anti-Consumer Practices]]
[[Category:Electronics companies]]

Fiio

2025-01-29T01:06:01Z

Cammy: Added references

{{InfoboxCompany
| Name = Fiio
| Type = Limited liability company
| Founded = 2007
| Industry = Audio Equipment
| Official Website = https://fiio.com/
| Logo = Fiio.webp
}}

'''FiiO Electronics Technology Company, Ltd.''', or simply '''FiiO''', is a Chinese electronics company founded in 2007 that primarily manufactures audio equipment. Its products include portable music players, audio amplifiers and DACs, earphones, as well as various cables and accessories. FiiO owns a subsidiary Jade Audio, which also manufactures audio equipmentFiiO Electronics Technology Company, Ltd., or simply FiiO, is a Chinese electronics company founded in 2007 that primarily manufactures audio equipment. Its products include portable music players, audio amplifiers and DACs, earphones, as well as various cables and accessories. FiiO owns a subsidiary Jade Audio, which also manufactures audio equipment

Numerous users across the web have complained and shared experiences that their hands were tied when their products broke under warranty and had to [https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/s/Q08IQ0vJOd eat the expenses of shipping to china]

And recently I caught wind of a situation where a users battery of a under one year old $1500 Fiio M17 Music Player had swelled within manufacturer's warranty period of 1 year and was refused service. See below of a direct quote from an email received from the official service and warranty team the customer was sent to in their respective country (I cannot add photos yet for some reason)

===Here a reply previous to the following*===
"Hello. Displays and batteries are generally not covered under warranty after more than six months from the date of purchase.
[[File:Screenshot 20250129.jpg|thumb]]
[[File:Image-24.png|thumb]]

Best Regards, Your FiiO Shop Team"
[[File:Image.png|thumb]]

==='''*Below is a response directly accusing the customer of wrongdoing'''===
"Hello, a withdrawal from the purchase contract is only possible within the 14-day withdrawal period.

The error cause for your bloated battery could be: Wrong charge, wrong fast charger, wrong charge cycles. Many possible scenarios could be the cause.

Our offer is still valid for battery replacement.

It is best to charge and discharge a battery slowly and in a controlled manner, use it at moderate temperatures, and protect it from damage or violent shocks. Avoid using inferior or damaged charging cables or adapters, as this can lead to uncontrolled, uneven, or excessive charging, which can cause damage or even a fire.

Charging the battery to 100% or fully discharging it for a long period of time can also shorten the battery life. If you don't plan to use your device for several weeks, you should discharge/charge it to about 40% and turn it off beforehand. High temperatures can also reduce the performance of a battery, so don't leave your phone in the car on a hot day."

Here is a direct link to the company's confusing, sparse, and misleading warranty terms: [https://www.fiio.com/serviceinsurance]

==References==
<references />https://www.fiio.com/serviceinsurance

https://www.fiio.com/About_FiiO

https://www.fiio.com/brand_introduction
[[Category:Anti-Consumer Practices]]
[[Category:Electronics companies]]

Fiio

2025-01-29T00:59:53Z

Cammy: Added photos

{{InfoboxCompany
| Name = Fiio
| Type = Limited liability company
| Founded = 2007
| Industry = Audio Equipment
| Official Website = https://fiio.com/
| Logo = Companylogo.webp
}}

FiiO Electronics Technology Company, Ltd., or simply FiiO, is a Chinese electronics company founded in 2007 that primarily manufactures audio equipment. Its products include portable music players, audio amplifiers and DACs, earphones, as well as various cables and accessories. FiiO owns a subsidiary Jade Audio, which also manufactures audio equipmentFiiO Electronics Technology Company, Ltd., or simply FiiO, is a Chinese electronics company founded in 2007 that primarily manufactures audio equipment. Its products include portable music players, audio amplifiers and DACs, earphones, as well as various cables and accessories. FiiO owns a subsidiary Jade Audio, which also manufactures audio equipment

Numerous users across the web have complained and shared experiences that their hands were tied when their products broke under warranty and had to [https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/s/Q08IQ0vJOd eat the expenses of shipping to china]

And recently I caught wind of a situation where a users battery of a under one year old $1500 Fiio M17 Music Player had swelled within manufacturer's warranty period of 1 year and was refused service. See below of a direct quote from an email received from the official service and warranty team the customer was sent to in their respective country (I cannot add photos yet for some reason)

===Here a reply previous to the following*===
"Hello. Displays and batteries are generally not covered under warranty after more than six months from the date of purchase.
[[File:Screenshot 20250129.jpg|thumb]]
[[File:Image-24.png|thumb]]

Best Regards, Your FiiO Shop Team"
[[File:Image.png|thumb]]

==='''*Below is a response directly accusing the customer of wrongdoing'''===
"Hello, a withdrawal from the purchase contract is only possible within the 14-day withdrawal period.

The error cause for your bloated battery could be: Wrong charge, wrong fast charger, wrong charge cycles. Many possible scenarios could be the cause.

Our offer is still valid for battery replacement.

It is best to charge and discharge a battery slowly and in a controlled manner, use it at moderate temperatures, and protect it from damage or violent shocks. Avoid using inferior or damaged charging cables or adapters, as this can lead to uncontrolled, uneven, or excessive charging, which can cause damage or even a fire.

Charging the battery to 100% or fully discharging it for a long period of time can also shorten the battery life. If you don't plan to use your device for several weeks, you should discharge/charge it to about 40% and turn it off beforehand. High temperatures can also reduce the performance of a battery, so don't leave your phone in the car on a hot day."

Here is a direct link to the companies confusing and sparse and misleading warranty terms [https://www.fiio.com/serviceinsurance]

[[Category:Anti-Consumer Practices]]

File:FiiO customer support redirection.jpg

2025-01-29T00:59:20Z

Cammy:

Company diverting

File:FiiO redefines warranty terms.png

2025-01-29T00:55:10Z

Cammy:

Terms of the warranty from the manufacturer are one year for "Mainframe" which can assumed to be a unit as a whole. But changes terms in the email to 6 months for battery and screen?

File:Fiio.webp

2025-01-29T00:47:15Z

Cammy:

Fiio

2025-01-29T00:44:25Z

Cammy: added link to companies warranty terms

FiiO Electronics Technology Company, Ltd., or simply FiiO, is a Chinese electronics company founded in 2007 that primarily manufactures audio equipment. Its products include portable music players, audio amplifiers and DACs, earphones, as well as various cables and accessories. FiiO owns a subsidiary Jade Audio, which also manufactures audio equipmentFiiO Electronics Technology Company, Ltd., or simply FiiO, is a Chinese electronics company founded in 2007 that primarily manufactures audio equipment. Its products include portable music players, audio amplifiers and DACs, earphones, as well as various cables and accessories. FiiO owns a subsidiary Jade Audio, which also manufactures audio equipment

Numerous users across the web have complained and shared experiences that their hands were tied when their products broke under warranty and had to [https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/s/Q08IQ0vJOd eat the expenses of shipping to china]

And recently I caught wind of a situation where a users battery of a under one year old $1500 Fiio M17 Music Player had swelled within manufacturer's warranty period of 1 year and was refused service. See below of a direct quote from an email received from the official service and warranty team the customer was sent to in their respective country (I cannot add photos yet for some reason)

===Here a reply previous to the following*===
"Hello. Displays and batteries are generally not covered under warranty after more than six months from the date of purchase.

Best Regards, Your FiiO Shop Team"

==='''*Below is a response directly accusing the customer of wrongdoing'''===
"Hello, a withdrawal from the purchase contract is only possible within the 14-day withdrawal period.

The error cause for your bloated battery could be: Wrong charge, wrong fast charger, wrong charge cycles. Many possible scenarios could be the cause.

Our offer is still valid for battery replacement.

It is best to charge and discharge a battery slowly and in a controlled manner, use it at moderate temperatures, and protect it from damage or violent shocks. Avoid using inferior or damaged charging cables or adapters, as this can lead to uncontrolled, uneven, or excessive charging, which can cause damage or even a fire.

Charging the battery to 100% or fully discharging it for a long period of time can also shorten the battery life. If you don't plan to use your device for several weeks, you should discharge/charge it to about 40% and turn it off beforehand. High temperatures can also reduce the performance of a battery, so don't leave your phone in the car on a hot day."

Here is a direct link to the companies confusing and sparse and misleading warranty terms [https://www.fiio.com/serviceinsurance]

[[Category:Anti-Consumer Practices]]

Fiio

2025-01-29T00:40:42Z

Cammy: added further information

FiiO Electronics Technology Company, Ltd., or simply FiiO, is a Chinese electronics company founded in 2007 that primarily manufactures audio equipment. Its products include portable music players, audio amplifiers and DACs, earphones, as well as various cables and accessories. FiiO owns a subsidiary Jade Audio, which also manufactures audio equipmentFiiO Electronics Technology Company, Ltd., or simply FiiO, is a Chinese electronics company founded in 2007 that primarily manufactures audio equipment. Its products include portable music players, audio amplifiers and DACs, earphones, as well as various cables and accessories. FiiO owns a subsidiary Jade Audio, which also manufactures audio equipment

Numerous users across the web have complained and shared experiences that their hands were tied when their products broke under warranty and had to [https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/s/Q08IQ0vJOd eat the expenses of shipping to china]

And recently I caught wind of a situation where a users battery of a under one year old $1500 Fiio M17 Music Player had swelled within manufacturer's warranty period of 1 year and was refused service. See below of a direct quote from an email received from the official service and warranty team the customer was sent to in their respective country (I cannot add photos yet for some reason)

=== Here a reply previous to the following* ===
"Hello. Displays and batteries are generally not covered under warranty after more than six months from the date of purchase.

Best Regards, Your FiiO Shop Team"

=== '''*Below is a response directly accusing the customer of wrongdoing''' ===
"Hello, a withdrawal from the purchase contract is only possible within the 14-day withdrawal period.

The error cause for your bloated battery could be: Wrong charge, wrong fast charger, wrong charge cycles. Many possible scenarios could be the cause.

Our offer is still valid for battery replacement.

It is best to charge and discharge a battery slowly and in a controlled manner, use it at moderate temperatures, and protect it from damage or violent shocks. Avoid using inferior or damaged charging cables or adapters, as this can lead to uncontrolled, uneven, or excessive charging, which can cause damage or even a fire.

Charging the battery to 100% or fully discharging it for a long period of time can also shorten the battery life. If you don't plan to use your device for several weeks, you should discharge/charge it to about 40% and turn it off beforehand. High temperatures can also reduce the performance of a battery, so don't leave your phone in the car on a hot day."

[[Category:Anti-Consumer Practices]]

Forced app download

2025-01-29T00:30:36Z

Cammy: added source for setup and force app usage and internet connection

{{incomplete}}
'''Forced app download''' is a practice by businesses and government entities, where users are forced to download an app to their phones to perform basic tasks that could have otherwise been done on a standard web browser<ref>[https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9380491 D. Tian, Y. Ma, A. Balasubramanian, Y. Liu, G. Huang and X. Liu, "Characterizing Embedded Web Browsing in Mobile Apps," in IEEE Transactions on Mobile Computing, vol. 21, no. 11, pp. 3912-3925, 1 Nov. 2022, doi: 10.1109/TMC.2021.3065945.]</ref> (e.g., adding a credit card for payments) or in real life (e.g., ordering a coffee).

Forced app download is becoming increasingly popular in many countries pushing digitization. A prime example is Singapore whose government is all-in on digital everything, where it is impossible for anyone to have a bank account without using the bank's app, and everyone must have a device that runs stock iOS or Android in order to download various government and business apps from their respective official app stores. Devices must also be running stock operating systems, since most government and business apps conduct intrusive checks and require extensive technical knowledge to run if a device is jailbroken or rooted.<ref>https://discuss.grapheneos.org/d/8330-app-compatibility-with-grapheneos</ref><ref>https://github.com/chiteroman/PlayIntegrityFix</ref>

Most companies<ref>https://cybernews.com/news/facebook-spying-snapchat-youtube-amazon-installing-kits/</ref> (and likely most governments)<ref>https://lunduke.substack.com/p/the-pokemon-go-spying-conspiracy</ref> would love for this to happen in more countries across the globe because forced app download allows for:

#'''Identification and tracking of users''' - not just on an account level and payments, but through deep device identifiers, location, and network connection
#'''Push of the cashless agenda''' - digital-only payments typically go hand-in-hand with app-only experiences
#'''Increased digital integration''' - endless possibilities of integrating and sharing data with payment processors, ad providers,
#'''Increased centralization and dependency on big companies''' - putting more power in the hands of big tech (Apple and Google) with mandatory official app store downloads and big payments (Visa and MasterCard) with forced digital payments

==Characteristics==
Forced app download involves:

#'''Forcing download and use of app to interact with a business''' - Basic tasks like ordering, making payments, changing settings.
#'''Deliberately crippling or removing functionality from the web experience''' - Prevent users from having an alternative interface to perform basic tasks.
#'''Forcing users to always be on the latest version of an app''' - "For your security" (as they usually claim), most of these apps will constantly check for the latest version and self-disable if they are older than X versions (varies by company)
#'''Mandatory use of account''' - For most of these apps to work, you must have an account for features to work. For example, with the Luckin Coffee app, you must create an account tied to your phone number. You cannot order as a guest

==Key implications==

===User tracking and intrusion of privacy===
The hallmarks of forced app download are mandatory account creation and usage, and digital payments. This allows tracking of the user not just by the company behind the app, but the payment provider and any other associated third-party partners.

===Mandatory use of "approved devices" and big-tech operating systems===
Most apps are only available for download on official from official app stores, meaning consumers must use a device running stock iOS or Android, or else jump through hoops to run them<ref>https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Android#Run_Android_apps_on_Arch_Linux</ref><ref>https://stackoverflow.com/a/18003462</ref>.

Devices must also be running stock operating systems since most government and business apps conduct intrusive checks<ref>https://developer.android.com/google/play/integrity/setup#default</ref> and will not run if a device is jailbroken or rooted.

Some companies such as big banks in Singapore have also started incorporating checks for "unverified apps" in their app. This means their app will scan your phone and check for sideloaded apps (anywhere that is not the official app store. For example, an app downloaded directly from APK Mirror or an unofficial app repository like F-Droid) as part of "anti-scam security measures that include restricting customers from accessing the banks’ digital services on their mobile phones if apps from unverified app stores – also known as sideloaded apps – are detected"<ref>https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/dbs-uob-anti-scam-sideloaded-app-malware-measure-latest-bank-restrict-app-access-3796806</ref>

===[[Surge pricing]]===
So far, the implementation of surge pricing in the context of businesses that use forced app download has not yet been seen. However, trust that the enterprising individuals and ecommerce platform providers (especially "modern headless ecommerce" companies<ref>https://www.forrester.com/blogs/doing-selling-and-being-headless-commerce/</ref>) looking to maximize clean out of consumers' wallets will quickly develop and deploy surge pricing once businesses with forced app download gain sufficient footing both in their respective industries and in general market penetration.

Since ordering and payments are entirely digital, it is very possible to see surge pricing (similar to what we've seen from ride hailing companies like Uber, Lyft and Grab) implemented across other industries.

For example, a restaurant that is popular enough could implement surge pricing to charge more during peak hours, like weekday lunch time to hit the downtime office crowd that is lacking in time and places to eat, or Friday night when many people are looking to go out.

===Third-party integration===
Just like how some car insurance providers in the US are adjusting their rates based on "smart" reporting from cars, it is also very possible for other intrusive and oppressive pair ups to happen. For example:

*Restaurants, cafes and bars with forced app download sharing data with health insurance companies, who increase your premium if they see a lifestyle/pattern of ordering unhealthy dishes or overly large portions, or frequenting that bubble tea shop too often.
*Government tax agency charging you "excess carbon footprint" taxes because you often order a lot of clothes beyond the number that the "Average" person of your profile wears, based on what your favorite fast fashion retailer with forced app download is sharing with them.
[[File:Digital turbine logo .png|alt=digital turbine logo |thumb|digital turbine logo ]]
[[File:No unverified apps.png|thumb|Singapore banks will "restrict access if unverified apps AKA sideloaded apps are found on customers' phones" (News story from Sep 2023)]]

==Examples==
'''Mobile Carriers and App marketplaces'''

Companies like [[digital turbine]] auction<ref>https://www.digitalturbine.com/dt-fairbid</ref> off placement in carriers automatic download lists and recommended app's placement in first and third party app stores<ref>https://www.digitalturbine.com/telecom</ref>

Digital turbine sells forced app downloads from app developers like: [[zynga]], miniclip games, [[King Digital Entertainment|'''King''' Digital Entertainment]] and [[Uber EULA precludes jury trial|Uber]], placement in forced download lists to carries like: [[Verizon]], [[At&T]], [[Cricket wireless]], us cellular, tracfone and T-mobile. <ref>https://www.digitalturbine.com/</ref>

===Banking and finance===
All banks in Singapore (Citi, DBS, UOB, OCBC, Standard Chartered, CIMB) mandate use of their apps for consumers to perform any online banking activities, including logging in via their web browser.
[[File:Forced app download.png|thumb|Luckin Coffee, a China-origin Starbucks competitor, forces you to download their app to order and pay for coffee. You cannot order coffee at the cashier in their store, let alone pay. You must use the app to interact with this business and digital payments to pay.]]
The apps generate notifications that require users to approve/deny actions like logging in via a web browser, initiating a payment, adding a payee, etc via the app itself. Some banks previously offered sending an OTP via SMS (text) as an alternative to app-based approval but this has since been discontinued for "security reasons".

==='''Insurance'''===
Auto insurance companies like [[Progressive]], require non policy holders effected by automotive incidents their policyholders claim to submit photos and video evidence of damages exclusively through their mobile app.<ref name=":0">https://www.progressive.com/claims/auto-process/</ref> Affected non policy holders can't complete the entire claim process through their website even though you can start the process online from any device and web browser. <ref name=":0" />

===Utilities and public services===
SP Group is Singapore's primary and default electricity provider, as well as the country's only provider for gas and water for consumers. In 2022, SP Group removed the ability to manage payments from their website, forcing users to download and use their mobile app to pay bills/manage recurring payments<ref>https://www.spdigital.sg/spapp/bill-payment</ref>.

As they are the country's only provider for gas and water, everyone in Singapore MUST download their app at some point.

===Home appliances and hardware===
Speaker and sound hardware company [[Sonos]] has been a big practitioner of forced app download since at least 2017<ref>https://en.community.sonos.com/advanced-setups-229000/make-sonos-work-without-internet-6795315</ref>. Sonos makes it extremely difficult and annoying, if not impossible for their customers to use their purchased hardware without an app and/or internet connection.

Even though it is possible to use Sonos speakers without an app, initial setup has required the download and use of Sonos' app since at least May 2022.

"Yes you can (use the Sonos Roam speaker without an app). However, you will need to set it up for the first time using the app." (May 2022)<ref>https://en.community.sonos.com/portable-speakers-229130/can-i-use-a-roam-without-the-app-6869207</ref>

In addition, not all Sonos products support use without an app (April 2023)<ref>https://soundscapehq.com/how-to-use-sonos-without-app/</ref> and even if they do, sans-app usability is only limited to one speaker.

"You can use speakers without an app, but it only applies to a single speaker. If you want to play audio across multiple speakers, you will have to use the app and there is no other workaround to this." (Dec 2021)<ref>https://earrockers.com/can-you-use-sonos-speakers-without-the-app/</ref>

==='''Hobbyist tools'''===
3D Printer manufacturer [[Bambu Lab]] forces users to bind their machines to an account via the use of an app called Bambu Handy and also forces the user to connect the machine to the internet whether they want to use LAN only mode or not. The fallout of this is that if you reset a machine and the servers are shut down the machine is a brick. [https://wiki.bambulab.com/en/x1/manual/setup-for-first-print]

===Retail and ecommerce===
Ecommerce giant [[Shopee]] which has a stronghold in online retail in South East Asia and Latin America has integrated a soft forced app download to their customer experience.

While it is still possible to browse, shop and checkout on a web browser, coupons usable on the web experience (regardless if mobile or desktop device) are limited to "Shipping Discount" coupons only. All other shopping coupons "Discount & Cashback" are only usable with Shopee's apps on iOS and Android.

When a customer attempts to check out on a web browser, Shopee shows that Discount & Cashback coupons are not usable because "Current device does not meet voucher T&C". On closer inspection of the terms and conditions of those coupons, Shopee specifies "Device: iOS, Android". What they are referring to is you must download and use their mobile apps for those operating systems in order to use most of their coupons. As pictured, the coupons are still not available on iOS and Android devices if the customer is using their web browser. They MUST download the Shopee app.
[[File:Shopee restricts coupon usage to app only.png|thumb|LEFT: Shopee limits customers to using "Shipping Discount" coupons only if checking out on a web browser (desktop and mobile).

MIDDLE: All other shopping coupons "Discount & Cashback" are only usable with Shopee's apps on iOS and Android.

RIGHT: Closer inspection of the terms and conditions where Shopee specifies a device requirement for using many of their coupons.

When Shopee specifies "Device: iOS, Android", they mean customers must download and use their mobile apps for those operating systems in order to use most of their coupons.

Using a web browser on iOS and Android does not count and coupons in question remain disabled in this scenario.]]
[[File:Shopee coupon still unusable on mobile web.jpg|thumb|Using a web browser on iOS and Android does not count and coupons with the device requirement remain disabled. What Shopee means by "Device: iOS, Android" in their coupons' terms and conditions is that customers MUST download and use the Shopee app for those coupons to be usable.]]

===Food and beverage===
An increasing number of 'digital-native' food businesses that are app-only are making their way onto the market. For example, Luckin Coffee, a Starbucks competitor of China origin with stores in Singapore and planned expansion into Malaysia and the US in 2025<ref>https://www.worldcoffeeportal.com/Latest/News/2024/October/China-s-Luckin-Coffee-reportedly-planning-US-launc</ref>, only allows ordering of beverages and payments via its app. The way it works is you download the app, register an account, log in, order a coffee and pay for it, then pick it up at a Luckin Coffee location. "With Luckin, you do not order coffee over the counter like in regular Western coffee shops. Instead, you do everything online. I ordered my drinks here without even needing to talk to the Barista!"<ref>https://www.clearlycoffee.com/review-signature-luckin-coffee-drinks-photos-creamy-dreamy-big-cheesy-coconut-latte/</ref>

With a food-and-beverage business that is fully committed to forced app download like Luckin Coffee, there is no way to order nor pay at the physical store. You must download and use the app to interact with the business.

Forced app download represents the next stage of evolution from QR code based ordering. The key differences are:
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Characteristic
!Forced app download
!QR-code based
|-
|Interface
|App downloaded from official app store
|Page opened in your choice of web browser
|-
|Ordering
|Order MUST be placed via app
|QR is pushed but usually possible to order offline (in real life)
|-
|Login
|You MUST create an account and log in to place an order
|Not required, often no registration is possible
|-
|Payments
|Cashless digital payment only
Payment MUST be made via app
|Depending on website, sometimes order online, pay offline
Depending on business, cash payments are usually possible
|}

==References==
[[Category:Anti-Consumer_Practices]]
[[Category:Common terms]]
<references />

Forced app download

2025-01-29T00:27:36Z

Cammy: Added section about hobbyist tools

{{incomplete}}
'''Forced app download''' is a practice by businesses and government entities, where users are forced to download an app to their phones to perform basic tasks that could have otherwise been done on a standard web browser<ref>[https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9380491 D. Tian, Y. Ma, A. Balasubramanian, Y. Liu, G. Huang and X. Liu, "Characterizing Embedded Web Browsing in Mobile Apps," in IEEE Transactions on Mobile Computing, vol. 21, no. 11, pp. 3912-3925, 1 Nov. 2022, doi: 10.1109/TMC.2021.3065945.]</ref> (e.g., adding a credit card for payments) or in real life (e.g., ordering a coffee).

Forced app download is becoming increasingly popular in many countries pushing digitization. A prime example is Singapore whose government is all-in on digital everything, where it is impossible for anyone to have a bank account without using the bank's app, and everyone must have a device that runs stock iOS or Android in order to download various government and business apps from their respective official app stores. Devices must also be running stock operating systems, since most government and business apps conduct intrusive checks and require extensive technical knowledge to run if a device is jailbroken or rooted.<ref>https://discuss.grapheneos.org/d/8330-app-compatibility-with-grapheneos</ref><ref>https://github.com/chiteroman/PlayIntegrityFix</ref>

Most companies<ref>https://cybernews.com/news/facebook-spying-snapchat-youtube-amazon-installing-kits/</ref> (and likely most governments)<ref>https://lunduke.substack.com/p/the-pokemon-go-spying-conspiracy</ref> would love for this to happen in more countries across the globe because forced app download allows for:

#'''Identification and tracking of users''' - not just on an account level and payments, but through deep device identifiers, location, and network connection
#'''Push of the cashless agenda''' - digital-only payments typically go hand-in-hand with app-only experiences
#'''Increased digital integration''' - endless possibilities of integrating and sharing data with payment processors, ad providers,
#'''Increased centralization and dependency on big companies''' - putting more power in the hands of big tech (Apple and Google) with mandatory official app store downloads and big payments (Visa and MasterCard) with forced digital payments

==Characteristics==
Forced app download involves:

#'''Forcing download and use of app to interact with a business''' - Basic tasks like ordering, making payments, changing settings.
#'''Deliberately crippling or removing functionality from the web experience''' - Prevent users from having an alternative interface to perform basic tasks.
#'''Forcing users to always be on the latest version of an app''' - "For your security" (as they usually claim), most of these apps will constantly check for the latest version and self-disable if they are older than X versions (varies by company)
#'''Mandatory use of account''' - For most of these apps to work, you must have an account for features to work. For example, with the Luckin Coffee app, you must create an account tied to your phone number. You cannot order as a guest

==Key implications==

===User tracking and intrusion of privacy===
The hallmarks of forced app download are mandatory account creation and usage, and digital payments. This allows tracking of the user not just by the company behind the app, but the payment provider and any other associated third-party partners.

===Mandatory use of "approved devices" and big-tech operating systems===
Most apps are only available for download on official from official app stores, meaning consumers must use a device running stock iOS or Android, or else jump through hoops to run them<ref>https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Android#Run_Android_apps_on_Arch_Linux</ref><ref>https://stackoverflow.com/a/18003462</ref>.

Devices must also be running stock operating systems since most government and business apps conduct intrusive checks<ref>https://developer.android.com/google/play/integrity/setup#default</ref> and will not run if a device is jailbroken or rooted.

Some companies such as big banks in Singapore have also started incorporating checks for "unverified apps" in their app. This means their app will scan your phone and check for sideloaded apps (anywhere that is not the official app store. For example, an app downloaded directly from APK Mirror or an unofficial app repository like F-Droid) as part of "anti-scam security measures that include restricting customers from accessing the banks’ digital services on their mobile phones if apps from unverified app stores – also known as sideloaded apps – are detected"<ref>https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/dbs-uob-anti-scam-sideloaded-app-malware-measure-latest-bank-restrict-app-access-3796806</ref>

===[[Surge pricing]]===
So far, the implementation of surge pricing in the context of businesses that use forced app download has not yet been seen. However, trust that the enterprising individuals and ecommerce platform providers (especially "modern headless ecommerce" companies<ref>https://www.forrester.com/blogs/doing-selling-and-being-headless-commerce/</ref>) looking to maximize clean out of consumers' wallets will quickly develop and deploy surge pricing once businesses with forced app download gain sufficient footing both in their respective industries and in general market penetration.

Since ordering and payments are entirely digital, it is very possible to see surge pricing (similar to what we've seen from ride hailing companies like Uber, Lyft and Grab) implemented across other industries.

For example, a restaurant that is popular enough could implement surge pricing to charge more during peak hours, like weekday lunch time to hit the downtime office crowd that is lacking in time and places to eat, or Friday night when many people are looking to go out.

===Third-party integration===
Just like how some car insurance providers in the US are adjusting their rates based on "smart" reporting from cars, it is also very possible for other intrusive and oppressive pair ups to happen. For example:

*Restaurants, cafes and bars with forced app download sharing data with health insurance companies, who increase your premium if they see a lifestyle/pattern of ordering unhealthy dishes or overly large portions, or frequenting that bubble tea shop too often.
*Government tax agency charging you "excess carbon footprint" taxes because you often order a lot of clothes beyond the number that the "Average" person of your profile wears, based on what your favorite fast fashion retailer with forced app download is sharing with them.
[[File:Digital turbine logo .png|alt=digital turbine logo |thumb|digital turbine logo ]]
[[File:No unverified apps.png|thumb|Singapore banks will "restrict access if unverified apps AKA sideloaded apps are found on customers' phones" (News story from Sep 2023)]]

==Examples==
'''Mobile Carriers and App marketplaces'''

Companies like [[digital turbine]] auction<ref>https://www.digitalturbine.com/dt-fairbid</ref> off placement in carriers automatic download lists and recommended app's placement in first and third party app stores<ref>https://www.digitalturbine.com/telecom</ref>

Digital turbine sells forced app downloads from app developers like: [[zynga]], miniclip games, [[King Digital Entertainment|'''King''' Digital Entertainment]] and [[Uber EULA precludes jury trial|Uber]], placement in forced download lists to carries like: [[Verizon]], [[At&T]], [[Cricket wireless]], us cellular, tracfone and T-mobile. <ref>https://www.digitalturbine.com/</ref>

===Banking and finance===
All banks in Singapore (Citi, DBS, UOB, OCBC, Standard Chartered, CIMB) mandate use of their apps for consumers to perform any online banking activities, including logging in via their web browser.
[[File:Forced app download.png|thumb|Luckin Coffee, a China-origin Starbucks competitor, forces you to download their app to order and pay for coffee. You cannot order coffee at the cashier in their store, let alone pay. You must use the app to interact with this business and digital payments to pay.]]
The apps generate notifications that require users to approve/deny actions like logging in via a web browser, initiating a payment, adding a payee, etc via the app itself. Some banks previously offered sending an OTP via SMS (text) as an alternative to app-based approval but this has since been discontinued for "security reasons".

==='''Insurance'''===
Auto insurance companies like [[Progressive]], require non policy holders effected by automotive incidents their policyholders claim to submit photos and video evidence of damages exclusively through their mobile app.<ref name=":0">https://www.progressive.com/claims/auto-process/</ref> Affected non policy holders can't complete the entire claim process through their website even though you can start the process online from any device and web browser. <ref name=":0" />

===Utilities and public services===
SP Group is Singapore's primary and default electricity provider, as well as the country's only provider for gas and water for consumers. In 2022, SP Group removed the ability to manage payments from their website, forcing users to download and use their mobile app to pay bills/manage recurring payments<ref>https://www.spdigital.sg/spapp/bill-payment</ref>.

As they are the country's only provider for gas and water, everyone in Singapore MUST download their app at some point.

===Home appliances and hardware===
Speaker and sound hardware company [[Sonos]] has been a big practitioner of forced app download since at least 2017<ref>https://en.community.sonos.com/advanced-setups-229000/make-sonos-work-without-internet-6795315</ref>. Sonos makes it extremely difficult and annoying, if not impossible for their customers to use their purchased hardware without an app and/or internet connection.

Even though it is possible to use Sonos speakers without an app, initial setup has required the download and use of Sonos' app since at least May 2022.

"Yes you can (use the Sonos Roam speaker without an app). However, you will need to set it up for the first time using the app." (May 2022)<ref>https://en.community.sonos.com/portable-speakers-229130/can-i-use-a-roam-without-the-app-6869207</ref>

In addition, not all Sonos products support use without an app (April 2023)<ref>https://soundscapehq.com/how-to-use-sonos-without-app/</ref> and even if they do, sans-app usability is only limited to one speaker.

"You can use speakers without an app, but it only applies to a single speaker. If you want to play audio across multiple speakers, you will have to use the app and there is no other workaround to this." (Dec 2021)<ref>https://earrockers.com/can-you-use-sonos-speakers-without-the-app/</ref>

=== '''Hobbyist tools''' ===
3D Printer manufacturer [[Bambu Lab]] forces users to bind their machines to an account via the use of an app called Bambu Handy and also forces the user to connect the machine to the internet whether they want to use LAN only mode or not. The fallout of this is that if you reset a machine and the servers are shut down the machine is a brick.

===Retail and ecommerce===
Ecommerce giant [[Shopee]] which has a stronghold in online retail in South East Asia and Latin America has integrated a soft forced app download to their customer experience.

While it is still possible to browse, shop and checkout on a web browser, coupons usable on the web experience (regardless if mobile or desktop device) are limited to "Shipping Discount" coupons only. All other shopping coupons "Discount & Cashback" are only usable with Shopee's apps on iOS and Android.

When a customer attempts to check out on a web browser, Shopee shows that Discount & Cashback coupons are not usable because "Current device does not meet voucher T&C". On closer inspection of the terms and conditions of those coupons, Shopee specifies "Device: iOS, Android". What they are referring to is you must download and use their mobile apps for those operating systems in order to use most of their coupons. As pictured, the coupons are still not available on iOS and Android devices if the customer is using their web browser. They MUST download the Shopee app.
[[File:Shopee restricts coupon usage to app only.png|thumb|LEFT: Shopee limits customers to using "Shipping Discount" coupons only if checking out on a web browser (desktop and mobile).

MIDDLE: All other shopping coupons "Discount & Cashback" are only usable with Shopee's apps on iOS and Android.

RIGHT: Closer inspection of the terms and conditions where Shopee specifies a device requirement for using many of their coupons.

When Shopee specifies "Device: iOS, Android", they mean customers must download and use their mobile apps for those operating systems in order to use most of their coupons.

Using a web browser on iOS and Android does not count and coupons in question remain disabled in this scenario.]]
[[File:Shopee coupon still unusable on mobile web.jpg|thumb|Using a web browser on iOS and Android does not count and coupons with the device requirement remain disabled. What Shopee means by "Device: iOS, Android" in their coupons' terms and conditions is that customers MUST download and use the Shopee app for those coupons to be usable.]]

===Food and beverage===
An increasing number of 'digital-native' food businesses that are app-only are making their way onto the market. For example, Luckin Coffee, a Starbucks competitor of China origin with stores in Singapore and planned expansion into Malaysia and the US in 2025<ref>https://www.worldcoffeeportal.com/Latest/News/2024/October/China-s-Luckin-Coffee-reportedly-planning-US-launc</ref>, only allows ordering of beverages and payments via its app. The way it works is you download the app, register an account, log in, order a coffee and pay for it, then pick it up at a Luckin Coffee location. "With Luckin, you do not order coffee over the counter like in regular Western coffee shops. Instead, you do everything online. I ordered my drinks here without even needing to talk to the Barista!"<ref>https://www.clearlycoffee.com/review-signature-luckin-coffee-drinks-photos-creamy-dreamy-big-cheesy-coconut-latte/</ref>

With a food-and-beverage business that is fully committed to forced app download like Luckin Coffee, there is no way to order nor pay at the physical store. You must download and use the app to interact with the business.

Forced app download represents the next stage of evolution from QR code based ordering. The key differences are:
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Characteristic
!Forced app download
!QR-code based
|-
|Interface
|App downloaded from official app store
|Page opened in your choice of web browser
|-
|Ordering
|Order MUST be placed via app
|QR is pushed but usually possible to order offline (in real life)
|-
|Login
|You MUST create an account and log in to place an order
|Not required, often no registration is possible
|-
|Payments
|Cashless digital payment only
Payment MUST be made via app
|Depending on website, sometimes order online, pay offline
Depending on business, cash payments are usually possible
|}

==References==
[[Category:Anti-Consumer_Practices]]
[[Category:Common terms]]
<references />

Fiio

2025-01-29T00:17:28Z

Cammy: added clarity

FiiO Electronics Technology Company, Ltd., or simply FiiO, is a Chinese electronics company founded in 2007 that primarily manufactures audio equipment. Its products include portable music players, audio amplifiers and DACs, earphones, as well as various cables and accessories. FiiO owns a subsidiary Jade Audio, which also manufactures audio equipmentFiiO Electronics Technology Company, Ltd., or simply FiiO, is a Chinese electronics company founded in 2007 that primarily manufactures audio equipment. Its products include portable music players, audio amplifiers and DACs, earphones, as well as various cables and accessories. FiiO owns a subsidiary Jade Audio, which also manufactures audio equipment

Numerous users across the web have complained and shared experiences that their hands were tied when their products broke under warranty and had to [https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/s/Q08IQ0vJOd eat the expenses of shipping to china]

And recently I caught wind of a situation where a users battery of a under one year old $1500 Fiio M17 Music Player had swelled within manufacturer's warranty period of 1 year and was refused service. See below of a direct quote from an email received from the official service and warranty team the customer was sent to in their respective country (I cannot add photos yet for some reason)

'''Below is a response directly accusing the customer of wrongdoing'''

"Hello, a withdrawal from the purchase contract is only possible within the 14-day withdrawal period.

The error cause for your bloated battery could be: Wrong charge, wrong fast charger, wrong charge cycles. Many possible scenarios could be the cause.

It is best to charge and discharge a battery slowly and in a controlled manner, use it at moderate temperatures, and protect it from damage or violent shocks. Avoid using inferior or damaged charging cables or adapters, as this can lead to uncontrolled, uneven, or excessive charging, which can cause damage or even a fire.

Charging the battery to 100% or fully discharging it for a long period of time can also shorten the battery life. If you don't plan to use your device for several weeks, you should discharge/charge it to about 40% and turn it off beforehand. High temperatures can also reduce the performance of a battery, so don't leave your phone in the car on a hot day."

[[Category:Anti-Consumer Practices]]

Fiio

2025-01-29T00:16:21Z

Cammy: added a quote from an email but blocked from uploading photo proof

FiiO Electronics Technology Company, Ltd., or simply FiiO, is a Chinese electronics company founded in 2007 that primarily manufactures audio equipment. Its products include portable music players, audio amplifiers and DACs, earphones, as well as various cables and accessories. FiiO owns a subsidiary Jade Audio, which also manufactures audio equipmentFiiO Electronics Technology Company, Ltd., or simply FiiO, is a Chinese electronics company founded in 2007 that primarily manufactures audio equipment. Its products include portable music players, audio amplifiers and DACs, earphones, as well as various cables and accessories. FiiO owns a subsidiary Jade Audio, which also manufactures audio equipment

Numerous users across the web have complained and shared experiences that their hands were tied when their products broke under warranty and had to [https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/s/Q08IQ0vJOd eat the expenses of shipping to china]

And recently I caught wind of a situation where a users battery of a under one year old $1500 Fiio M17 Music Player had swelled within manufacturer's warranty period of 1 year and was refused service. See below of a direct quote from an email received from the official service and warranty team (I cannot add photos yet for some reason)

'''Below is a response directly accusing the customer of wrongdoing'''

"Hello, a withdrawal from the purchase contract is only possible within the 14-day withdrawal period.

The error cause for your bloated battery could be: Wrong charge, wrong fast charger, wrong charge cycles. Many possible scenarios could be the cause.

It is best to charge and discharge a battery slowly and in a controlled manner, use it at moderate temperatures, and protect it from damage or violent shocks. Avoid using inferior or damaged charging cables or adapters, as this can lead to uncontrolled, uneven, or excessive charging, which can cause damage or even a fire.

Charging the battery to 100% or fully discharging it for a long period of time can also shorten the battery life. If you don't plan to use your device for several weeks, you should discharge/charge it to about 40% and turn it off beforehand. High temperatures can also reduce the performance of a battery, so don't leave your phone in the car on a hot day."

[[Category:Anti-Consumer Practices]]