ACCC takes action against Apple over warranty rights

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has taken legal action against Apple for allegedly misleading people about their warranty rights.

The ACCC has taken action against Apple for allegedly misleading consumers about warranty rights. (AAP)

The competition watchdog is taking Apple to the Federal Court over allegations related to the US tech giant's refusal to look at defective devices already repaired elsewhere.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) says Apple misled consumers about their warranty rights by routinely refusing to look at devices already repaired by a third party even when the repair - usually a cracked screen - was not related to the fault.

"Consumer guarantee rights under the Australian Consumer Law exist independently of any manufacturer's warranty and are not extinguished simply because a consumer has goods repaired by a third party," ACCC chairman Rod Sims said in a statement.