Apple agreed to pay a € 25 million fine in France to avoid a lawsuit. At issue is an investigation by the French anti-fraud services, which concluded that there were information flaws about the iOS system updates in versions 10.2.1 and 11.2. According to the authority, Apple's performance is "a deceptive commercial practice by default", advances Lusa.
The apple company will pay the fine, considered to be the biggest fine imposed in the country in relation to consumer rights issues, and obliged to publish a statement on its website about the situation, indicates the Directorate General for Competition, Consumption and Repression of French fraud in a press release.
If the company went to court, it would be ordered to pay an even higher fine, corresponding to 10% of the annual billing in France. However, the agreement between Apple and French anti-fraud services does not exclude the possibility that consumers will be able to claim a giant compensation from Cupertino, something that could force them to pay more than they would expect.
The lawsuit against Apple was opened by the Paris Public Ministry in January 2018 and was based on a complaint by the French association Alto Programmed Obsolescence, after several users complained that their iPhone 6 SE and 7 were slower after updating the iOS. Unable to return to the previous version of the OS, many users had to buy a new smartphone.
In response, Apple insists on its website that its goal "has always been to create safe products appreciated by customers" and that "an important part of this is to make iPhone last as long as possible.".
