14 DAY TRIAL // Apple has come under fire in the United States for slowing down older iPhone models with worn out batteries, and now the company is being investigated in France for the same practice.
The probe was started after an official complaint from an organization called HOP (Halte a l’Obsolescence Programmee / Stop Planned Obsolescence) who criticized Apple for reducing the performance of older iPhone models on purpose in an attempt to push for planned obsolescence.
The investigation involves anti-trust and consumer protection experts in the French economy ministry, France24 reports, and Apple can be fined as much as five percent of its annual sales according to laws passed in 2015 and which make planned obsolescence illegal.
The regulations require device manufacturers to inform buyers when replacement parts are required in order to prevent forced upgrades that cost a lot more and contribute to an increasing amount of unrecyclable waste. An update that Apple has already announced and due in early 2018 will include a notification to alert users when battery replacements are needed.
Apple says this wasn’t the plan
This is exactly what Apple has been accused of in several class-action lawsuits in the United States as well, as a significant number of customers purchased new iPhones after their older models became substantially slower following software updates.
Apple, however, says it planned otherwise, as its intention was to prevent unexpected shutdowns caused by degraded batteries, in turn allowing customers to continue using their iPhones longer.
“We’ve always wanted our customers to be able to use their iPhones as long as possible. We’re proud that Apple products are known for their durability, and for holding their value longer than our competitors’ devices,” the firm said in an announcement last month.
Apple launched a discount program for replacing iPhone batteries, offering a price cut from $79 to $29 by the end of the year for every device that has a worn-out battery and needs a new unit. Right now, however, Apple is also being criticized for not having enough batteries in stock for customers who want to have theirs replaced, with the program advancing at a rather slow pace due to the constrained inventory.