“Apple’s next major update of its mobile software will include an option that will enable owners of older iPhones to turn off a feature that slows the device to prevent aging batteries from shutting down,” the Associated Press reports. “The free upgrade announced Wednesday will be released this spring.”
“The additional controls are meant to appease iPhone owners outraged since Apple acknowledged last month that its recent software updates had been secretly slowing down older iPhones when their batteries weakened,” AP reports. “Many people believed Apple was purposefully undermining the performance of older iPhones to drive sales of its newer and more expensive devices. Apple insisted it was simply trying to extend the lives of older iPhones, but issued an apology last month and promised to replace batteries in affected devices at a discounted price of $50.”
MacDailyNews Note: Incorrect. It’s $50 off. It costs $29 through 2018, down from $79.
“Besides giving people more control over the operation of older iPhones,” AP reports, “the upcoming update dubbed iOS 11.3 will also show how well the device’s battery is holding up.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: We’re more excited about Apple’s improved ARKit and the new augmented reality possibilities it offers, the new Health Records feature, Business Chat in Messages, etc. than we are about the battery stuff.
SEE ALSO:
Apple previews iOS 11.3 with new battery health features, ability to turn processor throttling on and off, and more – January 24, 2018
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
There will be people who will turn this feature off, and then book appointments with the Genius Bar when the phone starts shutting down when there is still plenty of charge left.
I remember the times when, in the winter time, my phone would unexpectedly shut down like that. At first, I just thought it was some runaway background process that exhausted the battery for the day, but I quickly figured it out. When it shuts down like that, I knew the battery still had charge, so I would put the phone in my shirt pocket (inside my winter jacket) to warm it up. Five minutes later, I would do a cold boot (power+home buttons), and it would start up, 60% battery left.
Carrying any mobile device with a lithium-ion battery outdoors in the temperatures below 5ºC will inevitably cause them to shut down. Apple had found the most ingenious way to prevent that, by slowing them down. And now, it gave people a way to disable this. I just hope the explanation of this feature, how it works, what it does, and what are the consequences, is clear and concise, so that those who want their phone as fast as possible know exactly what may (and likely will) happen.
Or…
Provided it tells us, we won’t have to wait for the symptom (shutdown) to manifest before treating the disease (repair the battery). What was done was to mask the failing battery.
masking a failing battery and say Evil Apple. Others view it as extending the life of your device and say thanks Apple.
The masking was the evil…
Not the interim fix. You are defending the indefensible, and there’s even a signed confession.
where Apple said they deliberately slowed down iPhones to hide that the battery had failed. You are interpreting it that way. Nothing evil happened here. Apple saw a problem which happens to all batteries and found a good way to solve it that extends the life of the iPhone and avoids sudden shutdowns. Was it poor judgment to not fully explain what was happening? Yes. Was it deliberately evil? No.
Very few people will turn this feature off even when given the option. Only a handful of people will rush to spend money on a battery replacement because the slowdown is rarely noticeable in real world use.
You interpret everything as Apple being evil, that’s your angle. You love to hate Apple. You even use ‘apple’ in your name. Apple defines you.
There is no logical excuse for your position. None! Why then did they slow things down, without telling? You seem to think it wasn’t intentional, you have no basis of proof for your position.
Intentional or not, it factually masked the problem of subpar battery condition. It wasn’t a retread or replacement of the tires, it was slowing down the car without telling the driver. Inexcusable. Period.
“Very few people will turn this feature off even when given the option.”
So what? What does that have to do with informing and allowing the choice? Irrelevant.
Opposing Apple defines me… in the context of computers and gadgets. Yep!
So does opposing Trump and all authoritarian behavior in other walks of life. Proudly!
with your admission “Opposing Apple defines me”.
To state the obvious in this forum…
to define you is weak. Allowing a corporation to define you is next level weakness.
Not even wrong. It’s principle, character and position. It’s the buyer’s side of the negotiation.
Defending a corporation, against the buyers interests, if one is a buyer themselves, is a weakness.
by Apple, your words “Opposing Apple defines me”. Not my problem if you didn’t think about what that says about you before you admitted it.
If I’m the opposite of something I consider wrong, that not only defines me, it honors me. Thank you!
embarrassed for you. Watching you try to back peddle is cringe-worthy.
I Almost…
Give a shit!
The upvote is from me…
People will still b*tch, moan, and cry.
I GET IT!!! This is how they fix your phone addiction… by giving you a feature that will cause your phone to suddenly shut off with no warning! Brilliant move.
Oh good. They got the clue. As I’ve been saying: Kind of obvious.