“Apple CEO Tim Cook today shared that the next update to iOS 11 will allow users to disable battery performance throttling on their device,” Natt Garun reports for The Verge. “The move comes after Apple last month admitted it intentionally slows down iPhones as they get older to prevent issues that may arise as the batteries depreciate.”
“In an interview with ABC News, Cook said the update will arrive next month in a developer release before a wider public rollout,” Garun reports. “Cook also says the update will more clearly inform users when their iPhone is automatically reducing its performance in an effort to prevent unexpected shutdowns. ‘If you don’t want it, you can turn it off,’ Cook says, though he maintains that this is not recommended.”
“The next iOS 11 developer beta is expected in early February,” Garun reports, “which means a public release will follow some time in March.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Is there an echo* in here?
Apple should provide a toggle switch in Settings where users specify if they’d like to keep running at high processor speeds even if it means rapid shutdowns or if they’d like to run at lower processors speeds to accommodate an aging battery that requires replacement. — MacDailyNews, December 27, 2017
*Yes, there is, as HomePod is still MIA.
SEE ALSO:
Tim Cook: ‘Maybe we should have been clearer’ over throttling iPhones with aging batteries – January 18, 2018
China consumer group seeks answers from Apple over batterygate – January 16, 2018
South Korean consumer group considering criminal case against Apple over iPhone batterygate – January 11, 2018
French prosecutor launches probe into Apple planned obsolescence – January 8, 2018
Apple’s design decisions and iPhone batteries – January 8, 2018
Apple now faces over two dozen lawsuits for ‘purposefully’ or ‘secretly’ slowing down older iPhones – January 5, 2018
Why aging batteries don’t slow down Android phones like Apple iPhones – January 5, 2018
Apple’s $29 replacement batteries expected to hurt new iPhone sales – January 4, 2018
How to see if Apple’s throttling your iPhone – January 4, 2018
Brazilian agency requires Apple to inform consumers on batteries – January 3, 2018
Analyst: Apple’s ‘batterygate’ solution may mean 16 million fewer iPhones sold this year – January 3, 2018
An Apple conspiracy theory blooms – January 2, 2018
Apple clarifies policy on $29 battery replacements: All iPhone 6 and later devices are eligible – January 2, 2018
Why Apple’s response to iPhone ‘batterygate’ is brilliant – December 30, 2017
Australian lawyers to launch largest-ever class action against Apple over iPhone ‘batterygate’ – December 29, 2017
The most annoying things about Apple’s iPhone ‘batterygate’ apology – December 29, 2017
iFixit discounts iPhone battery replacement kits as Apple cuts prices, apologizes for the confusion – December 29, 2017
15 class action lawsuits filed against Apple for throttling iPhones with aging batteries – December 29, 2017
Apple apologizes for poor communication about iPhone batteries and performance; slashes battery replacement cost from $79 to $29 – December 28, 2017
No, Apple’s throttling of iPhones with aging batteries is not planned obsolescence – December 28, 2017
Apple execs face jail in France after lawsuit over slowing down iPhones – December 28, 2017
Korea seeks explanation from Apple for slowing down devices without warning – December 28, 2017
Apple now facing 8 lawsuits over throttling processors in iPhones with aging batteries – December 27, 2017
Apple tarnished their brand with clandestine iPhone battery management and processor throttling – December 27, 2017
Should Apple replace aging iPhone batteries for free instead of throttling processor speed? – December 21, 2017
Apple confirms iPhones with older batteries will take hits in performance – December 20, 2017
iPhone performance and battery age – December 18, 2017
Apple met with Chinese regulators to discuss iPhone 6s unexpected shutdowns – February 10, 2017
Rumor: Apple may extend iPhone 6s battery replacement program to iPhone 6 – January 17, 2017
A message from Apple about iPhone and unexpected shutdowns – December 2, 2016
Apple offers free battery replacement for ‘very small number’ of iPhone 6s units with unexpected shutdown issue – November 21, 2016
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Readers “Fred Mertz” and “TJ” for the heads up.]
Feature i will never use.
But thanks.
And those who do use it will turn it back off the first time their system cuts out in the middle of playing a game causing them to lose progress because it didn’t get to synchronize to the cloud. Just waiting for the class action lawsuit for people suing because Apple gave them a feature that, when chosen, causes them grief!!
less than 1% will leave on, stupid mountain made of molehill
But giving users the CHOICE is key here.
Less than 1% of those that know enough to look for it.
I guess the “feature” was written for the others.
I will be turning it off, and then determine if that causes a problem.
“ME Here” you are right-on!
Or, at a bare minimum, explaining this somewhere, even if not directly on the phone. Don’t have random people discover it as if you were ashamed of it, or doing it for some nefarious purpose.
Self-inflicted wound on this one, Apple. I think the software is probably doing the right thing. The problem is the inability of Apple’s decision-makers to realize how this would look.
WTF? Give users the option.
Operative word ‘you’.
I, on the other hand will use it but not in the way you’re assuming.
It will be useful to know that my battery is failing, and Apple is notifying me of that fact and in the meantime my phone will occasionally run more slowly when the battery’s power isn’t enough to prevent an immediate shutdown, whilst I organise for the battery to be replaced.
I won’t switch it off – this whole issue is about Apple not notifying the user about what it’s doing, not about dumb users not understanding battery chemistry.
Let’s assume that this issue was never discovered, and that Apple continued to slow down your device the older the battery gets without telling you.
Your phone would eventually become unusable and you’d by a new one and not know that a cheap battery replacement would solve the problem.
I hope Apple gets taken to the cleaners for this. They deserve everything they get.
Yes.. of course “me”
But i also ‘believe’ many will endup not using it either…
I also agree with MeHere.
Thank you Apple. I will definitely use this.
I immediately downgraded my iPhone 7+ to 11.1.2 to prevent this feature and now I can upgrade again wothout any fear of being throttled.
The throttling was introduced in 10.2.1.
I’m not exactly sure how you managed to “downgrade” to 11.1.2, since Apple does NOT allow restoring an older version of iOS once a newer is installed, but even if you somehow did manage it, if your battery is old enough, your phone is being throttled.
As a matter of fact, 11.2.2 apparently has smarter throttling and it doesn’t throttle as much for batteries that aren’t that old.
Wow Timmy, now that’s what I call innovation. Creativity it is. Thinking Different©, very different indeed. You good boy Tim.
Don’t get all proud of yourself, MDN. It really wasn’t that revolutionary an idea. Furthermore, as is expressed in other posts, it really isn’t that useful. If your iPhone does not currently throttle, then it will have no effect, on or off. If you are experiencing functional issues with your iPhone in high processor demand situations, then you will find that out and turn it back on. Either way, the result is identical to how it currently operates. You will simply enjoy the illusion of control.
This is similar to the astronaut demand for backup manual control of the Saturn V during ascent. Originally the interface between the launch vehicle and the command and service module (CSM) was purely mechanical. Astronauts demanded manual control capability, so they added in about 100 wires across the interface. But the reality is that no human could have piloted the Saturn V within the q-alpha constraints, so it was sound and fury signifying nothing except wasted time and resources.
I could demand user control over the fuel-air mixture or some other function of my car, too. Even if the car makers provided it, it would not do any good at all.
This only exposes your ignorance of performance tuning which remains as prevalent as ever in automobiles.
Apple is losing touch when it offers only one size fits all solutions. More user control over both hardware and software configuration can only be a good thing. If you don’t need it, don’t use it.
Good move. I’d rather have a fast phone that needs to be charged constantly than a slow one.