Apple keeps paying for slowing down older iPhones. The firm could have to pay a fine of around $2 billion in the UK in this case, which dates back to 2017.
After some users noticed that their iPhone was running slowly after updating to iOS 10.2, Apple admitted to limiting the performance of certain smartphones to preserve their autonomy. Nearly six years after the start of this very dark affair, the company is not done with the legal setbacks, since it could be under the blow of a exemplary fine in UK.
An association of UK consumers demand Apple pay no less than $2 billion for “hiding malfunctioning millions of iPhone batteries by throttling them with software updates.” Apple obviously denies any wrongdoing. According to representatives of the Silicon Valley giant, the batteries in question were in their vast majority, with the exception of some iPhone 6s, not defective. He also claims to have already offered free replacement of the component for the models concerned. An official speech which had not convinced the injured customers and which had earned heavy fines for the Cupertino company, in the United States in particular.
Apple keeps paying for slowing down older iPhones
Similarly, regarding the “throttling” accusations, the company argues that the performance reduction only affected smartphones with very low charge levels or whose battery was considered too old. Moreover, according to the engineers of the Apple brand, the slowdown induced by this technical device would be barely perceptible, since the slowdown would be around 10% on average. For the Cupertino company, all the accusations launched by the English associations are therefore unfounded.
Justin Gutmann, the initiator of this action, asked a judicial body responsible for determining the admissibility of complaints concerning competition or economic problems, to rule on the situation of English iPhone owners injured by Apple. If the establishment considers that the company can be prosecuted, the Cupertino company exposes itself to a fine of around $2 billion, without interest.
Source: Reuters