For Apple, the worst may be yet to come after it publicly admitted to, and apologised for, slowing down older iPhones with deteriorating batteries late last month. Alongside the cost of a discounted battery replacement program and possibly millions of lost sales, the smartphone maker may also be in line for severe legal repercussions.
Adding to the ongoing legal disputes filed against the company by consumers, Apple"s admission has been garnering increasing attention on Capitol Hill. After Sen. John Thune issued a letter to Apple CEO Tim Cook earlier this week, four more U.S. lawmakers have now followed in his footsteps and sent Cook a similar letter seeking further information about the growing fiasco. Included among the four House Republicans is Greg Walden, chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee.
The specific content of the letter is currently unknown, though it is reported that alongside claims of throttling, it also touched upon recent reports of overheating batteries and explosions. An Apple Store in Switzerland was evacuated earlier this week after a battery started emitting smoke, and this was soon followed by a similar report from Spain.
Apple has yet to issue a comment about its response to the request from lawmakers.