WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. Department of Justice and the Securities and Exchange Commission are investigating whether Apple Inc violated securities laws concerning its disclosures that it slowed older iPhones with flagging batteries, Bloomberg reported on Tuesday.
The government has requested information from the company, Bloomberg reported, citing people familiar with the matter.
The chairman of a U.S. Senate committee overseeing business issues asked Apple to answer questions about its disclosures, Reuters reported this month.
Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment. An SEC spokesman and Justice Department spokeswoman declined to comment.
The company admitted in December that iPhone software can slow down some phones with battery problems.
Apple said the problem was that aging lithium batteries delivered power unevenly, which could cause iPhones to shut down unexpectedly to protect the delicate circuits inside.
Apple posted a public apology over its handling of the battery issue and lowered the price of iPhone battery replacements from $79 to $29.
