Policy to Change Region on Apple Device – White Collar Scam

Have you heard the white-collar scam word before? Well, It’s my creation to explain a mind-blowing way of Apple to complicate the simple region-changing policy for their Apple users.

In this article, I will tell you how Apple is forcing users to give up on their money or spend the money unnecessarily to change the region on their Apple devices. I could have named it un-user-friendly or not-user-friendly but then it won’t get your attention and your say. Let me share my point of view and then you can share your words.

Approximately in 2022, I moved from Kenya to India for personal reasons. The situation demanded a lengthy stay of approximately three months. I wanted to use local apps for digital transactions so I changed the region on my device because I was facing an error App Not Available – This app is currently not available in your country or region.

Basically, the Apple App Store or Google Play Store does not allow the installation of an application if the application is developed only for a particular region or country. I see this as a complicated issue as App stores should figure out the way forward so it does not complicate the matter for users. If someone doesn’t know how to change the region or location, then they can’t use certain applications that are developed for that particular region or location during the temporary stay of users.

Now, let me come back to my story; during my aforementioned stay in India, I loaded a credit of 5000 INR so I could purchase subscriptions of entertainment apps or sports apps like Cricbuzz, SonyLIV, Hotstar, etc. This is another interesting fact Apple users should know: they first need to load their Apple ID to purchase subscriptions from Apple accounts. Likewise, if you are an Android user, you have to load your app store to purchase some apps. Users can not directly use their net banking, credit/debit cards or other local wallets to purchase the services or app subscriptions.

When I returned to Kenya after my trip, I could not use Kenyan apps related to finance or digital transactions. The reason was the setting. My location was not allowing me to use the app with a location in the setting set as India.

Apple’s White Collar Scam

When I was trying to change my location so I could use local Kenyan apps, I was asked to change the location again. Therefore, I tried to change the region from India to Kenya with the same method but this time, it was saying. You have a store credit balance; you must spend your balance before you can change stores.

If the region is already set up as India, how can someone use the credit in Kenya, as most of the important apps I was going to use will be Kenyan Apps? And Why should I spend my credit unnecessarily if I don’t have reason to spend it? This was the most annoying or frustrating situation for me as I could not let go of 3,252 INR, approximately 40 USD. So, I changed my mind about changing the region.

After three months, I migrated to Australia. As the migration was permanent, I went to the bank to open a new account and then bank personnel asked to install the bank app for the internet bank. I got caught in the same situation that as the set region on my iPhone X was India, I was not able to install the bank’s app.

After coming back home, I contacted Apple support to help me out, and the support team left me with only two options.

1. Apple support team discard or remove my credit balance and change the region from India to Australia or
2. I use the credit even if I do not have any reason to spend the credit balance and then I change the region.

I have pleaded for a refund in any possible way, like a refund in my bank or Apple voucher, but they clearly denied it.

I have purchased so many Apple products like MacBook Pro 13 Inch 2019, AirPods Pro, iPhone X, Apple Watch Ultra 49mm Titanium, iPhone 6 for my wife, and iPhone 5S for my mom and still you get this kind of response is very frustrating.

Instead of recording my concern, giving me a reference number, and taking some time and effort to provide user-friendly support, they said I drop my feedback about this policy so the concerned department can contact me and see what they can do for me.

What do you have about this policy?

Please leave any feedback or comments in the comment box. Have you ever encountered this kind of situation? How did you feel during that time? What could be another way Apple could have done to help you out in this kind of situation? Do you have an appropriate word instead of White Collar Scam?