Apple gets CCPA notice over iPhone performance issues after iOS 18 update

Apple Inc. has received a notice from the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) concerning alleged performance problems with iPhones following the rollout of its iOS 18 software update, Consumer Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said on Thursday.

The complaints regarding the performance issues of iPhones were reportedly received on the National Consumer Helpline.

The notice seeks Apple's explanation regarding reported technical issues with the software update.

"After receiving complaints on the National Consumer Helpline regarding performance issues in #iPhones following the iOS 18+ software update, the department, after examining these grievances, has issued a notice to #Apple through the CCPA, seeking a response on the matter," Joshi said in a social media post, without specifying the nature of issues.

The complaints have emerged at a time when Apple is under increased scrutiny in one of its fastest-growing markets, where it has been aggressively expanding its retail presence and manufacturing base.

AI-driven issues

The notice follows Apple’s recent admission of problems associated with a new artificial intelligence (AI) feature integrated into iOS 18. The feature, aimed at delivering personalised news and entertainment updates, was disabled in its beta update last week after users reported false or misleading alerts. This phenomenon, often referred to as “AI hallucinations,” has become a challenge in the tech industry as companies integrate advanced machine learning models into their consumer products.

Apple said the flawed feature has been temporarily removed in a beta version of iOS 18.3 while engineers work on fixes. The testing phase currently involves a limited number of users and developers, with the final release expected in the coming weeks.

The iOS 18.2 update introduced several new features under Apple’s “Apple Intelligence” initiative, including tools like Image Playground, custom emoji creation, and ChatGPT integration into Siri.