Italian officials fine Apple, Samsung over software that slowed phones

Oct. 24 (UPI) -- Italian officials have fined Apple and Samsung more than $17 million for slowing down older smartphones.

Italian officials fined Apple $11.4 million and Samsung $5.7 million because the phone makers forced users to download software updates that slowed their smartphones. The fines follow an investigation, started in January.

"Apple and Samsung implemented dishonest commercial practices (in their operating system updates that) caused serious malfunctions and significantly reduced performance, thus accelerating phones' substitution," Italian investigators said in a statement.

They added that both companies failed to warn customers how their devices would be negatively impacted by the updates "or any means of restoring the original functionality of the products."

Investigators said owners of the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 and Note 7 were negatively affected by the new software, as well as the Apple iPhone 6.

BBC News reported Apple was fined more because it didn't disclose to customers details about its smartphone batteries, including ways to prolong its lifespan.

Samsung said it plans on appealing the decision.

"Samsung did not issue any software update that reduced the Galaxy Note 4's performance," a spokesman said. "In contrast, Samsung has always released software updates enabling our customers to have the best experience possible."

Apple has been accused in the United States of purposefully slowing down the performance of older iPhone models, according to the Wall Street Journal. Apple later said its software slowed performance in iPhones as batteries aged, to prevent the devices from automatically powering off.