Facing lawsuits and consumer outrage after it said it slowed older iPhones with flagging batteries, Apple is slashing prices for battery replacements and will change its software to show users whether their phone battery is good.
In a posting on its website
Thursday, Apple apologised over its handling of the battery issue and
said it would make a number of changes for customers "to recognise their
loyalty and to regain the trust of anyone who may have doubted Apple's
intentions."
Apple made the move to address concerns about the
quality and durability of its products at a time when it is charging
$999 (roughly Rs. 64,000) for its newest flagship model, the iPhone X.
The
company said it would cut the price of an out-of-warranty battery
replacement from $79 (roughly Rs. 5,000) to $29 (roughly Rs. 1,850) for
an iPhone 6
or later, starting next month. The company also will update its iOS
operating system to let users see whether their battery is in poor
health and is affecting the phone's performance.
"We know that some of you feel Apple has let you down," Apple said in its posting. "We apologise."
On December 20, Apple acknowledged
that iPhone software has the effect of slowing down some phones with
battery problems. Apple said the problem was that aging lithium
batteries delivered power unevenly, which could cause iPhones to
shutdown unexpectedly to protect the delicate circuits inside.
That
disclosure played on a common belief among consumers that Apple
purposely slows down older phones to encourage customers to buy newer
iPhone models. While no credible evidence has ever emerged that Apple
engaged in such conduct, the battery disclosure struck a nerve on social
media and elsewhere.
Apple on Thursday denied that it has ever done anything to intentionally shorten the life of a product.
At
least eight lawsuits have been filed in California, New York, and
Illinois alleging that the company defrauded users by slowing devices
down without warning them. The company also faces a legal complaint in
France, where so-called "planned obsolesce" is against the law.