States Accuse IPhone of Battery Gouging

New York state officials are demanding that Apple stop forcing consumers to pay a premium to exchange batteries on their new iPhones, days after an Illinois class-action lawsuit over the charge for a new charge. Apple asks $79 to replace the batteries, which are sealed inside the phone, making them impossible to swap out easily or replace with third-party joltalikes.

Apple also charges a $29 phone rental fee while the battery is being changed. "A high-end cell phone shouldn't have low-end customer service," argued the head of New York's Consumer Protection Board in an official complaint. Officials want the design changed or battery replacement fees reduced. Apple has said that each battery should last well beyond a year. (More iPhone stories.)