Customers who had already bought iPhone Bumpers before Apple offered free cases to all iPhone 4 users have started to receive refunds from the company according to Macworld.
At last week�s iPhone 4 press conference, Apple said it would provide free cases to anyone who buys the iPhone 4 before September 30th. That free case offer includes a choice of either Apple�s Bumper or a third-party case. As part of that offer, Apple said it would offer refunds to iPhone 4 users who had already bought Bumper cases from Apple.
On Thursday, some customers who bought their Bumpers from Apple�s online store reported receiving refund notices from Apple. The message from Apple begins by informing the customer of the situation, and that �as of today, we have automatically processed your refund.� Apple is also refunding shipping and VAT charges as well.
There is no word on how many customers have gotten refunds so far or how long this automatic refund process for online Bumper orders will take.
Apple made the free case offer for iPhone 4 users after complaints emerged regarding the handset�s antenna surfaced. The most common complaint involves the reception bars disappearing from the iPhone�s status bar when users hold the device a certain way, with their fingers covering the phone�s antennas.
At last week�s press conference, Apple said iPhone 4 owners would be able to apply for a new case at its Website starting at some point this week. As of late Thursday, Apple�s site had not yet been update with new information on how to order a case.
In a personal visit to an Apple Store location this week, an Apple Store representative claimed Apple would be formally announcing the next step in its free Bumper case/case refund late this week.
We hope to have more to report today and will let you know the moment additional details are confirmed.
