French and American authorities ask Apple questions, after the company announced that they deliberately slow down older iPhones.
That writes the Wall Street Journal. The authorities continue to ask questions, despite Apple's apologies in December last year.
The company admitted to slow down older iPhones at peak times of information processing, if it could prevent an outdated battery from stopping and the device failing.
In the United States, the government does not consider this explanation enough. Senator John Thune wonders why Apple has not chosen to replace new batteries for free. Apple decided to offer customers a new battery for 29 euros instead of 79 euros, as a compensation.
France
The case is also being investigated further in France. The pre-programming of aging has been illegal in France since 2015. According to the Consumer Act, it is not allowed to age devices to ensure that consumers replace them faster with new ones.
The law states that violating this law can result in a fine of up to five percent of the annual turnover. France is investigating whether Apple is breaking the law with its approach.
Apple itself states that devices through this intervention just last longer before they need to be replaced. At the end of December, the company apologized for the course of events.