Apple could be subject to criminal charges in France over phone slowdowns

Things are getting more serious for Apple over the revelations that the company purposely slows down older phones. They could face criminal charges in France under a recently passed obsolescence law. 

A report from French outlet The Local (via The Verge) detailed efforts by Halte à l’Obsolescence Programmée (HOP, translated as "Stop Planned Obsolescence"), a group dedicated to "raise awareness and influence for sustainable and repairable products." 

HOP filed a complaint in a French court on Wednesday, setting itself apart from lawsuits filed in the U.S. and Israel by making it a criminal complaint, citing a violation of an "energy transition" law enacted in 2015. Read more...