Apple faces Italian lawsuit over iPhones that wear out too quickly

Apple Inc. faces an Italian class-action lawsuit seeking compensation over misleading claims about the battery life of older iPhones. The company was previously accused of slowing down their devices in connection with the battery degradation over time, something Apple has now made optional. 

Euroconsumers, an international consumer organization, said on Monday it filed the suit in Italy. The move follows similar cases filed last month in Belgium and Spain concerning users of various iPhone 6 devices.

Also read: Apple sued in EU over iPhones that wear out too quickly

Owners “expect sustainable quality products,” ​Els Bruggeman, head of policy and enforcement at Euroconsumers, said in a statement. “Unfortunately, that is not what happened with the iPhone 6 series. Not only were consumers defrauded, and did they have to face frustration and financial harm, from an environmental point of view, it is also utterly irresponsible.” The group said it’s also planning a class action suit in Portugal “in the coming weeks.”

Apple Is Sued in EU Over IPhones That Wear Out Too Quickly

The lawsuits mirror U.S. cases over claims that the company misled consumers about iPhone battery power and software updates that slowed the performance of the devices. The California-based company in November agreed to pay $113 million to settle a case with multiple U.S. regulators while customers are seeking approval from a U.S. court for a class-action settlement that could be worth as much as $500 million.

Apple didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

Two similar lawsuits against Apple have been filed in Belgium and Spain for the planned obsolescence of iPhones.

• With imputs from HT Correspondent