Apple on Thursday apologized to its customers for slowing down performance of older iPhone models and said it would slash prices for battery replacements for some of its handsets.
In a posting on its website Apple apologized over its handling of the battery issue and said it would make a number of changes for customers "to recognize their loyalty and to regain the trust of anyone who may have doubted Apple’s intentions."
Apple made the move to address concerns about the quality and durability of its products at a time when it is charging $999 for its newest flagship model, the iPhone X.
The company said it would cut the price of an out-of-warranty battery replacement from $79 to $29 for an iPhone 6 or later, starting next month.
The company also will update its iOS operating system to let users see whether their battery is in poor health and is affecting the phone's performance.
"We know that some of you feel Apple has let you down," Apple said in its posting. "We apologize."
The controversy erupted last week after Apple acknowledged a feature to "smooth out" spikes in demand for power to prevent iPhone 6 models from shutting down due to the cold or weak batteries.
Rumors had persisted for years at tech news websites devoted to Apple products and among fans of the company's products that iPhone performance was being intentionally slowed, perhaps to push users to buy newer models.
Apple on Thursday denied that it has ever done anything to intentionally shorten the life of a product.
At least eight lawsuits have been filed in California, New York and Illinois alleging that the company defrauded users by slowing devices down without warning them. The company also faces a legal complaint in France, where so-called "planned obsolesce" is against the law.
