Apple and Samsung encountering big fines
It’s that time of day, that annoying pop up that disrupts your Instagram feed once a day. With not a lot of options given to you but to submit to its completion, there is one escape, “remind me tomorrow” and the battle is pushed forward another day. What software version are you on? How long have you been pushing it out? Well, CNET.com confirms that the daily task of opting out of that update might just be worth it after all.
Which mega mobile phone company are you loyal too? Apple? Samsung? Maybe Blackberry? Well, chances are no matter which company you using you still feel the push of software updates. You may have heard of people telling you not to update your current phone software due to rumors about the companies updates slowing down their older offered phones. Well if you are one of the many mobile phone customers that own either Apple or Samsung products, you might want to see this. As of October 25th, 2018, both companies are each being sued for 5.7 million dollars according to CNET.com. Both companies are involved with a lawsuit for releasing software updates significantly did, in fact, slow down phone performance. The software released by the companies is often fine-tuned to the companies newest devices and detrimental to the slightly older model devices, forcing customers into buying the newest device. This information has been circling around the general public for a while until it was confirmed last December by Apple admitting that their software does, in fact, slow down older phones. The problem apple claimed was due to the lithium-ion batteries that did not respond well to updates, and offered a solution in the way of a $29 replacement battery and formally apologized. Apple had an additional $5 million tacked to their suit for failing to “give customers clear information about “essential” characteristics of lithium batteries and how to address the problems. Apple also faced flak at the beginning of the year from the US Senate on the topic. Both companies, however, denied releasing these updates to push people to buy their newest products, Samsung, in fact, denied the Italian Competition Authority’s lawsuit and plans to appeal “We are disappointed with the Italian Competition Authority … the decision,” says Samsung spokesperson. “Samsung did not issue any software update that reduced the Galaxy Note 4’s performance. In contrast, Samsung has always released software updates enabling our customers to have the best experience possible.” CNET.com. Both companies have failed to come to comment on the updates real effects on their products.
