By Graham K. Rogers

As was reported back in May, a number of users were denied warranty claims when it was found that their iPhones (or iPod touch) were showing signs of having been in contact with water or other liquid. As many users of these devices lived in areas where levels of humidity are higher (perhaps than in California), it was decided by the courts that Apple should compensate the owners whose warranty claims had been refused (Scott Buscemi 9to5 Mac).

Full information has been posted on the settlement website: In re Apple iPhone/iPod touch Warranty Litigation Settlement Website. Details of how to accept the refunds and other information concerning the settlement and payments, are shown on the site.

However, this Class Action suit only applies to those users who have addresses in the USA, so those who bought iPhones and the iPod touch in other countries and who were refused warranty claims because of perceived liquid damage, are not included.

Users who may have been affected particularly by such refusals could be those living in countries where humidity levels are rather high, such as in South-east Asia, for example Thailand. A number of such warranty claims were declined by True, the company that handles the iPhone here, and no contact with those users appears to have been made - either by True or Apple - at this stage.

We are extremely doubtful whether any such settlements will be afforded to users in the region.

Graham K. Rogers teaches at the Faculty of Engineering, Mahidol University in Thailand where he is also Assistant Dean. He wrote in the Bangkok Post, Database supplement on IT subjects. For the last seven years of Database he wrote a column on Apple and Macs.