Apple apologizes for battery slowdown

In this March 9, 2015, file photo, Apple CEO Tim Cook talks about the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus during an Apple event in San Francisco. Apple is apologizing for secretly slowing down older iPhones, which it says was necessary to avoid unexpected shutdowns related to battery fatigue. The company issued the statement on its website Thursday, Dec. 28, 2017. [Photo: AP]

US company Apple has apologized for its decision to deliberately slow down older phones to protect battery stability.

Meanwhile, the company said it is slashing $50 off the out-of-warranty iPhone battery replacement for the next year, bringing the cost down to $29 for anyone with an iPhone 6 starting in late January.

A new software update will also hit early next year giving users more insight into battery life.

The tech giant admitted last week that it has used software updates to limit the performance of older iPhones that may have battery issues that would cause them to turn off suddenly.

But it sparked massive criticism worldwide.