The Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has issued a notice to Apple Inc. regarding alleged performance issues with iPhones following the iOS 18 software update, according to Consumer Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi on Thursday.
“The department, after examining these grievances, has issued a notice to #Apple through the CCPA, seeking a response on the matter,” Joshi stated in a post published on X.
I am seeking a response from Apple
The notice requested an explanation from Apple regarding the technical issues that were reported in the wake of the software update for iPhones.
The National Consumer Helpline has received complaints regarding performance issues, as reported by the news agency PTI.
The notice is the most recent regulatory criticism of the tech giant’s operations in India, which is Apple’s primary growth market for smartphone manufacturers.
The central government also issued a warning to specific Apple users last year, citing two software vulnerabilities that could potentially lead to a “high risk of unauthorised access, data theft, or gain control (by hackers) of the affected system.”
The ‘high’ severity issue was reported to affect Intel-based Mac systems, including macOS, iOS, and iPadOS devices, in the advisory issued by the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In), which is an agency of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.
The Centre had previously identified “multiple vulnerabilities” in Apple products, such as iPhones, that could result in the leakage of sensitive information or the manipulation of the device.
Last year, Apple CEO Tim Cook had also acknowledged India’s contribution to the global triumph of iPhones.
Nevertheless, it was recently disclosed that Apple Inc.’s global iPhone sales experienced a 5% decline in the final quarter of 2024 as a result of competitors’ increased presence in China and subpar enhancements.
In 2024, the iPhone market share had also decreased to 18%, primarily due to the dominance of Chinese competitors such as Xiaomi Corp. and Vivo.
On Monday, Apple shares experienced a 3% decline to $229.72 on the New York Stock Exchange as a result of this.
(with inputs from PTI)
