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Apple may take another step to address the backlash over its decision to slow down older iPhones.

CNN reports that Apple told a U.S. senator it is "exploring" whether to offer a rebate to customers who paid full-price for a battery replacement, according to a letter released Tuesday.

The tech company apologized to customers in December for using a software update to slow the performance of older iPhone models. It also dropped the price of replacement batteries for the iPhone 6 and later models from $79 to $29.

Senator John Thune, the chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee, previously sent a letter to Apple with several followup questions, including whether customers who purchased batteries at full-price might be compensated.

"Apple has acknowledged that its initial disclosures came up short," Thune said in a statement Tuesday. "Apple has also promised the committee some follow-up information, including an answer about additional steps it may take to address customers who purchased a new battery at full price."

Apple has said the goal of the slowdown was to "smooth out" peak power demands and prevent older iPhones from sudden shutdowns as their lithium-ion batteries degrade. But it resulted in disappointing performance for users.

 

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