Seagate published an announcement on its web site informing customers that the company will cut the warranty period of select bare (OEM) HDDs on Jan. 3, 2009. Most Seagate OEM HDDs currently have a warranty good for five years, but the number will be slashed down to three years.
The following HDDs will be affected by the change: Barracuda 7200, DB35, Diamondmax, LD25 5400, Momentus 5400, Momentus 720, Pipeline HD, and the Pipeline HD Pro.
All HDDs purchased prior to Jan. 3, 2009 will still have a valid 5-year warranty, according to the Seagate press release.
"We have identified the opportunity to offer our customers warranty terms that we believe are in line with industry standard warranty offerings, and that better align to the requirement of our partners and customers," Seagate said in its statement.
The HDD manufacturer said the change has nothing to do with the overall quality of its products, and reports 95% of all returns take place within the first three years after purchase.
"Our product quality remains excellent, and, as the worldwide leader in drive storage, Seagate is committed to providing our customers with the most reliable storage solutions available anywhere."
As one of the people who purchased Seagate because of the company's 5-year warranty, I wonder how many others may shift away from Seagate now because of the policy change.
The news comes at the same time Seagate announced it will slash its financial outlook for the current quarter, while it also urged employees to stay at home during the holiday season. Employees can take vacation time, borrow vacation time, or go on unpaid leave during the holiday company shutdown.
