French government begins investigation into Apple slowing down iPhones

The French government has launched a judicial investigation into Apple’s slowing down of iPhones. The public prosecutor in Paris is investigating whether there has been deception and ‘programmed obsolescence’.

The preliminary investigation, which is being led by the French consumer protection organization and under the ministry of finance, could lead to the bringing of one or more charges, a spokesman told The Wall Street Journal. According to French law, pre-programming of aging is not allowed. If proven, Apple could be fined up to five percent of annual sales and the company’s top executives could even face jail terms.

This investigation stems from a complaint filed in December by a French consumer advocacy group called Stop Programmed Obsolescence. According to this organization, Apple pressures customers to buy new phones by synchronizing the release of new models with system updates that make older phones perform less well.

In the US, too, the government is starting to get involved in the issue. Republican Senator John Thune, the chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee, pressured Apple to provide answers to some questions about how the Cupertino company decided to slow down iPhones with aging batteries. He also wants to know how Apple has dealt with user complaints and whether Apple is considering compensating people who paid full price for a new battery.

In late December, Apple apologized to customers after the company had previously confirmed it had made performance adjustments. Apple decided to make the replacement of batteries for iPhones cheaper. To prevent an unexpected shutdown of the iPhone, Apple added a feature to iOS 10.2.1 a year ago where the operating system lowered the performance of the iPhone 6, 6 Plus, 6s, 6s Plus, and SE. Recently, that update was also brought to the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus. Apple did not communicate this feature. When figures showed earlier this month that older iPhones worked slower, there was a stir, especially because with new batteries the performance was restored.