Apple has been forced to release software “patches” to cover flaws in its new iPhone that could allow hackers to steal data from phone users and spread spam e-mails.

This week Apple uploaded the software to protect its phone users from hackers after ISE, an independent research group, discovered the flaw just a month after the launch of the phone. It is not known whether there had been any security breaches and Apple would not elaborate.

Although iPhone users would have been vulnerable to hackers during most of July because of the software glitch, any iPhone users who have charged their phones in the past few days would have automatically had the new protective patch downloaded onto their phone. An Apple spokesman said: “The consumer response to the iPhone has been amazing. We can easily fix bugs with downloads.”

The episode is the latest glitch for the iPhone. A Chicago lawyer, Larry Drury, has filed a class-action lawsuit against Apple over the iPhone’s battery. The lawsuit alleges that Apple failed to disclose replacement costs of the battery and its limited lifespan.

The iPhone’s battery is housed within a sealed unit, meaning that any problems with the battery would force the user to send the entire phone away for repair.

The cost of this is about $115 (£57) in addition to the charge for a replacement phone. The battery life is estimated at just 300 rechargeable cycles – a lifespan of less than a year. The phone itself costs either $499 or $599 depending on whether the customer chooses a 4 gigabyte or 8 gigabyte model.

Mr Drury said: “The public is entitled to know what they are getting for the money they spent.”

The New York Consumer Protection Board has sent a letter to Apple complaining that battery replacement costs are too high. The board also objected to AT&T’s $175 cancellation fee for early termination of the service.

When Apple reported its quarterly figures last month, it predicted that it would sell a million iPhones by the end of the current quarter.

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