“Apple admitted on Wednesday that it cuts the processing power of older iPhones with aging batteries in an effort to keep them running as smoothly as possible,” Todd Haselton writes for CNBC. “Apple has a reason for this, but it’s the wrong approach. Rather than intentionally slowing devices to keep them from shutting down (as the company explained to TechCrunch in a story on Wednesday), it should do right by its customers who expect their pricey iPhones to last more than a couple of years.”
MacDailyNews Take: Note the use of the word “pricey.”
“Here’s what Apple told CNBC on Wednesday: ‘Lithium-ion batteries become less capable of supplying peak current demands when in cold conditions, have a low battery charge or as they age over time, which can result in the device unexpectedly shutting down to protect its electronic components,'” Haselton writes. “But here’s another idea. If Apple is going to drop the performance of a smartphone because of poor battery life, it should replace an iPhone’s battery at no charge. ”
“Sure it’s an expensive undertaking for Apple,” Haselton writes, “but a user should be guaranteed a certain level of performance for the lifetime of a product, until Apple stops supporting it with new software.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Lithium-ion batteries are to mobile devices as tires are to vehicles.
Is Todd demanding that BMW et al. offer free tires replacements during the lifetime of the vehicle? Of course not. Because it’s a stupid, untenable suggestion.
As with your car’s tires, which are not covered in even the most comprehensive vehicle service arrangements, your iPhone batteries are your responsibility. Normal wear and tear. Apple, if they should do anything, should make this point exceedingly clear and even include an alert on devices to inform users that states something like:
Your battery has just completed its 500th charging cycle and, to maintain peak performance, needs to be replaced. Your battery is designed to retain up to 80% of its original capacity at 500 complete charge cycles. Your warranty covers a defective battery, but it doesn’t cover battery wear from normal use. For your convenience, your device will continue operating at reduced processor speeds until replacement can be performed.
• If you’re covered under AppleCare+, we’ll replace your battery at no charge if it retains less than 80 percent of its original capacity.
• If your iPhone needs battery replacement and it’s not covered, the service fee is $79.
• If your iPhone has another power issue, we’ll give you the repair price after we determine the cause.The three bullet points above are exactly Apple’s policy today.
Information on how to maximize your iPhone’s battery life and lifespan is here.
There’s no such thing as a free lunch.
🤣 So true, but it's already been established that people don't seem to understand that batteries wear out – at least when they're in an iPhone.
— MacDailyNews (@MacDailyNews) December 21, 2017
SEE ALSO:
Apple confirms iPhones with older batteries will take hits in performance – December 20, 201
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