French prosecutors have opened an investigation into Apple over revelations it secretly slowed down older versions of its handsets. The Paris prosecutor’s office said today a probe was opened last week and is led by the French body in charge of fraud control, which is part of the finance ministry. It follows a legal complaint filed in December by a French consumer rights group that aims to stop intentional obsolescence of goods by companies.
In France it is illegal to intentionally shorten the lifespan of a product in order to encourage customers replace it. Apple apologized in December for secretly slowing down older iPhones, a move it said was necessary to avoid unexpected shutdowns related to battery fatigue. Lawsuits against the company have been filed in the US and Israel.
