The probe into purported misleading commercial practices and planned obsolescence has been under way since December, the Paris prosecutor's office said. It follows a complaint filed by the Halt Planned Obsolescence (HOP) association.

HOP said it hoped the investigation would demonstrate the iPhone maker was "associating the serial numbers of spare parts to those of a smartphone, including via microchips, giving the manufacturer the possibility of restricting repairs by non-approved repairers or to remotely degrade a smartphone repaired with generic parts."

The association called on Apple "to guarantee the right to repair devices under the logic of real circular economy."

This will cause Jobs' Mob considerable problems as it might mean that users will be able to keep their phones and gear running longer, which means less profit. 

Apple has had huge problems with EU regulators over the years. For example, the EU insisted that all electronic products have a two year warranty, while Apple wanted to provide a one year warranty and make its users pay for an extended warranty.