No, it’s not over yet, investigations are underway.
Apple’s #Batterygate scandal seems to be catching more heat. After the news of Italy’s probe to the Cupertino based tech giant on slowing down older iPhones, now the US has come into action. The U.S. Department of Justice (DoJ) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) are looking at how Apple handled its secret software update that slowed down older iPhones to keep up with old and worn batteries, reports Bloomberg.
According to the report of Bloomberg, the government wants to know whether Apple is in violation of securities laws for not disclosing about its mysterious software updates to consumers. In a statement last week, Apple confirmed that it had been contacted by government officials.
“We have received questions from some government agencies and we are responding to them. We have never — and would never — do anything to intentionally shorten the life of any Apple product, or degrade the user experience to drive customer upgrades.”
Yet both SEC and DoJ have not given any official statement in this regard, but the report hints towards an ongoing probe on Apple. Meanwhile, the number of class action lawsuits against Apple that were earlier over two dozen have further grown. Consumers so far have filed some 50 proposed class action lawsuits over Apple’s latest iPhone software update, which they allege caused unexpected shutdowns and throttled the performance of older iPhone models including iPhone SE, 6 and 7 lineups.
The trail of the story going backward is so long that it can’t be sum up briefly. Apple admitted in December that iPhone software could slow down some phones with battery problems. Aging batteries deliver power unevenly, which can cause iPhones to shut down unexpectedly to protect the complex circuits inside. Apple posted a public apology over its handling of the issue and lowered the price of iPhone battery replacements from $79 to $29. Those exploding batteries in at least two of the Apple Stores, while receiving replacement treatment opened a new window.
