Indian Consumer Regulator Escalates Investigation Into Apple’s iOS 18 Warranty Terms
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| A man in Delhi working in an electronics lab with tools and components. |
NEW DELHI — September 15, 2026
India's consumer regulator has escalated an investigation into Apple's software warranty terms after complaints that the iOS 18 update caused display and other problems on some iPhones. The investigation is examining whether consumers were unfairly required to pay for repairs linked to problems allegedly caused by the software update.
The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) notified Apple on July 29 that the case had been moved to its investigation wing for a detailed review. The regulator said the complaints raised possible violations of consumer rights and concerned consumers as a group.
The complaints relate to iOS 18, which was released in late 2024. According to the regulator's case documents, some users reported green, pink or white lines appearing on their screens after installing the update, along with microphone and other functional problems.
Apple disputes the allegations. In a response to investigators dated Aug. 20, the company said it had found no systemic problems or safety concerns with iOS 18 in India and argued that its software is provided without a warranty, consistent with common industry practice.
Apple also said the CCPA's case was based on 75 complaints and noted that only about 11% of iPhones were still running iOS 18 by June 2026. The company said customers are informed of the software terms before installing updates.
Under Apple's software licence agreements, the software is provided without a warranty, while its limited warranty generally covers hardware. Apple argued that treating every software problem as a warranty breach would make software providers responsible for all technological risks.
The CCPA has taken a different view, saying the issue concerns the rights of consumers as a group. The regulator has also questioned whether customers should have to pay substantial repair costs when problems are alleged to have resulted from a company software update.
An iPhone 15 display repair can cost about 27,900 rupees ($291), according to the regulator's documents. That amount represents more than one-third of the phone's retail price in India.
The investigation could have broader implications for how technology companies communicate software warranty conditions to Indian consumers. New Delhi-based consumer law specialist Kirti Mahapatra said investigators can request documents and conduct hearings before preparing a report for the regulator.
Mahapatra said the CCPA can seek changes to contractual or warranty terms if they are found to form part of an unfair practice. She described such an intervention as unusual in the context of software warranty conditions.
Apple has faced similar scrutiny in other markets. Italy sanctioned the company in 2018 after finding that it had not adequately informed consumers about possible effects of the iOS 10 update on older iPhones and had not provided support for phones outside their legal warranty.
India has become an increasingly important market for Apple as the company expands both sales and manufacturing in the country. Apple's iPhone market share in India reached about 9% last year, compared with 4% in 2022, according to Counterpoint Research.
The Indian investigation remains ongoing, and the regulator has not yet issued a final finding against Apple. Apple said it would continue working with authorities to provide information about how it responded to customers affected by the software update.
