Apple Inc. has started its battery replacement program in South Korea, officials said Wednesday, as the U.S. tech giant faces a potential lawsuit over the allegation that it intentionally slowed down older iPhones.
Under the program, which began Tuesday, Apple said users of the iPhone 6 and its successors will be able to replace batteries for 34,000 won (US$31.9), down from the previous 100,000 won.
Industry watchers said there will be some delays for the replacement program in South Korea due to a shortage of batteries for the iPhone 6 Plus.
"Many consumers have been making visits since Tuesday. Depending on models, some replacements will take some time due to supply shortages," an official from a warranty center in Seoul said.
The battery replacement program comes amid a looming lawsuit against Apple in South Korea as some iPhone users say that the battery replacement discount is not sufficient to compensate for the scandal.
Hannuri Law, a South Korean law firm, said about 240,000 iPhone users have applied to file a joint lawsuit. (Yonhap)
