Apple urged to study iPhone addiction in children

NEW YORK - Two large shareholders urged Apple to study whether iPhones are proving addictive for children and that intensive use of the smartphones may be bad for their mental health.

"There is a growing body of evidence that, for at least some of the most frequent young users, this may be having unintentional negative consequences" on their health, said Jana Partners LLC and California State Teachers' Retirement System in a letter sent to Apple dated January 6 and made public on Monday.

The "growing societal unease" over the intensive use of smartphones by children is "at some point is likely to impact even Apple," they warned.