iPhone 6s random shutdowns may push Apple to face probe in South Korea

The South Korean government's industrial standardisation bureau is reportedly mulling an investigation into iPhone 6s' random shutdowns despite considerable battery charge on the device.

A probe would be carried out by the Korean Agency for Technology and Standards (KATS) to find out whether the iPhone 6S battery problem is a safety issue, like the Galaxy Note 7 that had to be discontinued after repeated complaints of device explosions.

Apple has already acknowledged a battery issue for iPhone 6s and offered a replacement for a limited serial number range that was manufactured between September and October 2015. However, it is not known whether the affected models in Korea come under that range.

"The agency is well aware of recent iPhone issues and is taking a close look at it but a formal investigation has not been launched yet," a KATS official told the Korean Herald.

The agency which has the right to order a national recall in the country is said to be in talks with Apple Korea regarding the matter.

Prior to this, media reports in China stated that apart from random shutdowns some iPhones exploded or caught fire. Apple however, denied that it had anything to do with any hardware defect and the explosions were due to external physical damage that led to the thermal event. The iPhone models involved in these incidents also included the iPhone 6s along with the iPhone 6s Plus.

Earlier the US-based smartphone maker has faced criticism for delayed customer service response to hardware issues in its products in South Korea.