Apple the tech giant was facing multiple lawsuits as, the tech giant was hit with numerous lawsuits over the allegation that it was not being truthful. On 2017 Apple was facing a $918 million lawsuit in Britain after a consumer rights champion Justin Gutmann filed a claim accusing the US tech giant of secretly slowing down older iPhone models. Apple never told their customers that the update could slow down their devices and that the tool was put in place to mask the inability of older iPhone batteries to cope with the demands of newer operating systems, as the upgrade was made specifically for the new model. Apple claimed that they would never do anything to intentionally shorten the life of any Apple product, or degrade the user experience to drive customer upgrades. A power management tool that was a part of a 2017 software update that slowed down older iPhone models and prevented sudden shutdowns as they battled with a new operating system is at the centre of the complaint.
Apple, according to Gutmann, never informed users that the upgrade could slow a user’s device, and the tool was allegedly introduced to stop expensive repairs or recalls. “Instead of doing the honourable and legal thing by their customers and offering a free replacement, repair service or compensation, apple instead misled people by masking a tool in software updates that slowed their devices by up to 58 percent” said Gutmann. The case was launched by Gutmann for millions of iPhone users across the UK so they receive redress for the harm suffered by Apple’s actions. At the time, Apple apologised and promised to replace batteries at a discount and give customers the option to manually switch off the power management feature.
In 2020 French authorities penalised the company 25 million euros for failing to inform customers that update would affect the performance of earlier models. Apple agreed to also display a statement on its website about the sanction for a month. Owners of the iPhone 6, 6 Plus, 6S, 6S Plus, SE, 7, 7 Plus, 8, 8 Plus, and iPhone X devices are seeking reimbursement.
Apple has faced legal challenges before. It has been sued over the matter in a number of nations and committed to pay up to $500 million to owners of older models in the US in 2020. Apple initially received criticism for its slow iPhones, but company later denied any wrongdoing and consented to the settlement. Apple expressed regret and reduced the cost of replacement batteries from $79 to $29 in response. Despite the fact that some customers had already paid hundreds of dollars on new devices, the $500 million settlement meant for affected iPhone owners was equivalent to $25 per affected iPhone.
https://in.mashable.com/tech/33512/apple-slapped-with-918-million-lawsuit-for-slowing-down-iphones
Name- Anu Wilson (FCRIMS)
Roll no- M2105