Latest News Apple to pay $113m too settle iPhon iPhone ne ‘batterygate’ bat Apple will pay $113m (£85m) to se le alleg ga ons that it slowed down older iPhones. Thirty-three US U states claimed that Apple had done this to drive u users into buying new devices. Millions of people were affected when the models of iPhone e6 and 7 and SE were slowed down in 2016 in na scandal that was dubbed ba erygate. App ple declined to comment. However, it has previously said the phones were slowed to pre eserve aging ba ery life. The deal is separaate from a proposed settlement Apple reached in March to pay affected iPhone owners up p to $500m in a class ac on lawsuit. In 2016 Apple updated so ware on models of the iPhone e 6, 7 and SE - which thro led chip speeds on aging phones.
Unusual slowdowns Apple acknowledged its update reduced power demands a er researchers found unusual slowdowns in 2017. The states argued that Apple had acted decep vely and should have replaced ba eries or disclosed the issue. According
to an Ariizona filing, millions of users were affected by power shutoffs. Apple denies that the e slowdown was for financial gain. Bu ut Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich wrote in a court document made public on Wednesday: “Many consume ers decided that the only way to get imp proved performance was to purchase a newer-model iPhone from Apple. “Apple, of course, fully understood ssuch effects on sales.” Under the settle ement, Apple did not admit to any wro ongdoing or breaking any law. The tech tan also agreed for the next three years to provide “truthful information” about iPhone power management across its website, so ware update notes and iPhone se ngs. The se lement comes a er a series of other allega ons against Apple. It is currently locked in a legal ba le with Epic Games - amid accusa ons the iPhone-maker uses its stranglehold over its App Store to unfairly charge developers.
EU auditors see uphill battle for EU antitrust regulators versus big tech EU an trust enforcers face an uphill ba le in tackling tech giants abusing their dominance because of the difficulty of finding remedies, the EU’s budget watchdog said on Thursday in its first audit of the regulators. The report by the European Court of Auditors comes as cri cs of Google voiced frustra on at what they say is ineffec ve enforcement of a series of EU rulings ordering it to stop favouring its own online services to the disadvantage of compe tors. Besides Google, European Compe on Commissioner Margrethe Vestager is also inves ga ng Amazon, Apple and Facebook. “Although the Commission has taken a number of case decisions tackling challenges resul ng from the digital economy, significant challenges remain to be resolved,” the watchdog said. “For example, prac ces in digital markets can cause damage to consumers. However, it is difficult for the Commission to find appropriate remedies to tackle an apparent compe on problem as determining consumer harm can be par cularly complex.” The ECA said the issue applies not just to internet companies but also businesses involved in digital innova on such
as those in energy, telecommunica ons, financial services and transport. It said part of the problem lies in EU an trust rules which only allow enforcers to act a er wrongdoing has been commi ed. The Commission “needs to scale up market oversight to be fit for a more global and digital world. It needs to get be er at proac vely detecting infringements and select its inves ga ons more judiciously,” said ECA’s Alex Brenninkmeijer who was in charge of the report. EU an trust officials however have swa ed away arguments that they are not able to do their job well in digital cases. “EU compe on rules are flexible enough to deal with digital markets,” Commission Director General for compe on Olivier Guersent told an online event on Wednesday. europeanbusinessmagazine.com 11
