Apple, Samsung fined for 'planned obsolescence'

ROME - Two of the world's largest smartphone makers, Apple and Samsung, were fined a total of 15 million euros ($17 million) this week in part for taking what are seen as illegal steps to force customers to buy new replacement phones sooner than they would have.

The fines from the country's antitrust regulator are officially for the companies' frequent use of firmware updates that "have caused serious malfunctions and significantly reduced performance, thereby accelerating the process of replacing them".

Combined, Apple and Samsung account for more than half of the Italian smartphone market, and around a third of the worldwide market for the devices.