Apple Meets with Chinese Regulators Over iPhone 6s Battery Problem

Apple is trying to please the Chinese government: a company representative has traveled to Beijing to discuss the iPhone battery malfunction matter, reports Quartz.

Apparently, some iPhone 6s devices abruptly shut down at around 30% battery life, an issue that Apple has said it will investigate after the China Consumer Association published a letter addressed to Apple to look into the matter. But the battery issue is not limited to Chinese users. Consumers all over the world have complained about their iPhone 6 or 6s devices turning off well before the battery reaches 0%.

The Apple representative said during the meeting yesterday that the company has made progress in discovering the origin of the malfunction, but the statement issued by the Chinese Consumer Association or CCA didn’t mention any definitive origin, says Qz.

Apple originally attributed the problem to a battery component that was exposed to too much “ambient air” before final assembly. But Apple refrained from sharing any additional information, adding that this affects a “small number of iPhone 6s devices made in September and October 2015.”

But the Chinese media, as usual, have put a lot of effort into publicising this battery issue.

At this point it isn’t clear whether Apple was motivated by politics or a genuine concern for consumers by sending a company representative to discuss personally with the CCA. But it is worth mentioning that after losing ground in China, Apple has posted double-digit growth in mainland China (and India) during the holiday quarter. The importance of the Chinese smartphone market has been emphasised plenty of times by various Apple executives.