Apple confirmed that in order to extend the life of the smartphone, it slowed down the old iPhone, but the slowdown was not clearly indicated to consumers, so Apple was fined $ 27 million.
Paris, France (Merxwire) – Apple slows down iPhone 6, SE and 7 through software updates. Although Apple stated that the slowdown is to “extend the life of the device”, it slowed down without warning consumers, causing Apple to be France’s Competition and fraud watchdog DGCCRF fined $ 27 million.
Some consumers have long suspected that older iPhones have slowed down. This is Apple’s way to increase sales of new iPhones. In 2017, Apple said it did slow down certain models, but did not encourage people to upgrade.
Apple says the lithium-ion batteries in the device will be unable to supply peak current demands over time, which may cause the iPhone to shut down unexpectedly. The slowdown is due to Apple’s addition of a power management system to iOS to prevent the iPhone from frequently shutting down and protecting its electronics.
DGCCRF made an evaluation report after Apple acknowledged reducing the speed of older iPhones.
The French watchdog believes that iPhone users are not aware that the iOS operating system (10.2.1 and 11.2) they are installing will slow down the device. To return to the previous operating system version, many consumers must replace the battery or even buy a new phone.
The French watchdog said that as part of the agreement, Apple must display a one-month notice on the website. It says Apple “committed the crime of deceptive commercial practice by omission” and had agreed to pay the fine.