Apple’s handling of iPhone problems reported after the iOS 18 update is facing renewed scrutiny in India, with the country’s consumer regulator examining whether the company’s software warranty terms leave users paying for problems they say emerged after the update.
The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has escalated complaints against Apple to its investigation wing for a “detailed investigation”, reported, citing regulatory documents. The move brings Apple’s software licensing terms into focus, alongside complaints from users about costly repairs and persistent device problems.
Consumer advocacy group LocalCircles has separately found that a significant proportion of iPhone users continue to report difficulties after upgrading to iOS 18 or later, although fewer users now directly blame the software than they did in an earlier survey
What is the CCPA investigating?
The regulator’s investigation centres on Apple’s software warranty conditions and complaints about iPhones developing problems following iOS 18 updates.
According to documents reviewed by Reuters, Apple’s software licence says it is provided “without warranty of any kind”. The company’s limited warranty, meanwhile, generally covers hardware.
The CCPA has received complaints about issues including green, pink and white lines appearing on displays after upgrades. Consumers have also reported call failures, dropped calls, frozen screens, battery drain, touchscreen problems, camera issues and slower performance.
The regulator has alleged that some users were made to pay “exorbitant amounts” for repairs and display replacements “despite the issues stemming from the company’s software upgrade”.
In its communication to , the CCPA reportedly said that “charging consumers for issues arising from the company’s own negligence violates the principle of fair trade”.
The financial impact can be substantial. The estimated cost of replacing an iPhone 15 screen is around ₹27,900, according to the regulatory documents cited by Reuters.
LocalCircles data shows iPhone complaints have persisted
The consumer complaints being examined by the regulator are also reflected in surveys conducted by LocalCircles.
In January 2025, the organisation surveyed more than 31,000 consumers and found that six in 10 iPhone users who had upgraded to iOS 18 or newer reported experiencing multiple problems. Nearly nine in 10 of those who encountered difficulties believed iOS was responsible.
LocalCircles subsequently urged the CCPA to consider stronger measures, including allowing affected users to roll back the update or replacing malfunctioning devices.
Its latest survey, which collected more than 47,000 responses from iPhone users across 274 districts, indicates that problems have not disappeared.
Around who had upgraded to iOS 18 or later said they experienced difficulties. Call connection and dropped-call issues were reported by 66% of those surveyed.
But the latest findings also point to a shift in how users explain those problems. About half of respondents experiencing difficulties attributed them to iOS, down sharply from the nearly 90% recorded in the January 2025 survey. Around 31% instead blamed their mobile network.
The surveys therefore do not establish that iOS 18 caused every reported problem. However, they provide a broader picture of the complaints that have prompted scrutiny from India’s consumer authorities.
How has Apple responded to the allegations?
Apple has disputed the concerns raised in the investigation.
In its August 20 response, the company told investigators that its decision not to provide a software warranty was consistent with common industry practice. Apple said the terms are disclosed to users before they install software and pointed to similar warranty approaches used by companies such as Sony and Samsung.
Apple also said iOS 18 had undergone stringent testing and that it had found no systemic issues or safety concerns with the software in India.
The company noted that the CCPA investigation was based on 75 complaints and said only about 11% of iPhones were still running iOS 18 by June 2026.
“A requirement that every issue … be treated as a breach of an absolute warranty would effectively convert any software provider into an insurer against all technological risk,” Apple said in its response.
Could Apple face penalties?
The CCPA’s investigation is not a final finding that Apple violated consumer protection law.
Investigators will examine the complaints, Apple’s response and the company’s warranty and licensing conditions before making their findings. Depending on the outcome, the regulator could impose penalties, seek refunds or require changes to business practices.
Consumer lawyer Kirti Mahapatra said the CCPA could intervene if warranty or contractual conditions were found to form part of an unfair practice.
“Where contractual terms or warranty conditions form part of the alleged unfair practice, the CCPA can ask the company to ensure accurate information be provided to its customers,” she said.
“It can also ask for changes to such terms, but that would be unprecedented.”
Why the case matters for Apple in India
The dispute comes as Apple’s presence in India has grown rapidly. The iPhone accounted for about 9% of India’s smartphone market in 2025, compared with 4% in 2022, according to Counterpoint Research.
That makes the CCPA’s investigation relevant beyond the specific complaints over iOS 18. At its core, the case is examining a question that could become increasingly important as smartphones depend more heavily on software updates: who should bear the cost when an update is alleged to leave a device malfunctioning?
For now, Apple maintains that iOS 18 does not have the systemic problems alleged by consumers, while the CCPA’s investigation will determine whether the company’s warranty terms and handling of the complaints comply with India’s consumer protection rules.
(With inputs from Reuters and LocalCircles)