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A senior officer of China’s consumers’ association on Thursday slammed tech giant Apple Inc. for violating consumers’ right to know when it admitted it was intentionally slowing down the performance of older iPhones.

Chen Jian, the director of the law and theoretical research department of China Consumers’ Association, said a consumer has the right to know about goods or services he purchases, and that the consumer also has the right to get a fair deal. He explained that when the company sells mobile phones to its consumers, it should be open to them, including hidden faults and future expenses.

“Contract law clearly states that one side cannot impose its will on the other. Only when the consumer knows the situation will he decide whether to upgrade his software according to his needs.”

Apple apologized and slashed the price of out-of-warranty replacement batteries from $79 to $29. But Chen said that Apple should give consumers a comprehensive solution, instead of a stopgap measure. He stressed that if defects in a product are caused by the manufacturer, then the company should provide a holistic solution.

Chen also said that in the absence of prior notification of the weakening batteries, consumers will inevitably question Apple’s motives.

Apple released new products and encouraged consumers to buy its new version of the iPhone. “Such a marketing approach breaches the principle of good faith,” Chen said.

(Compiled by Wang Jia)