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Thread: Apple admits it deliberately slows down iPhones as they get older

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    Gotcha! Apple admits it deliberately slows down iPhones as they get older

    By Tom Warren and Nick Statt - The Verge




    Reddit users have noticed that Apple appears to be slowing down old iPhones that have low-capacity batteries. While many iPhone users have experienced perceived slowdowns due to iOS updates over the years, it appears that there’s now proof Apple is throttling processor speeds when a battery capacity deteriorates over time.

    Geekbench developer John Poole has mapped out performance for the iPhone 6S and iPhone 7 over time, and has come to the conclusion that Apple’s iOS 10.2.1 and 11.2.0 updates introduce this throttling for different devices. iOS 10.2.1 is particularly relevant, as this update was designed to reduce random shutdown issues for the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6S. Apple’s fix appears to be throttling the CPU to prevent the phone from randomly shutting down. Geekbench reports that iOS 11.2.0 introduces similar throttling for iPhone 7 units with older batteries.

    Some Reddit users report that replacing their batteries has returned performance and CPU clock speeds back to normal. The reports are particularly troubling because any perceived slowdowns by iPhone users might tempt owners to upgrade their entire device instead of replace the battery. “This fix will also cause users to think, 'my phone is slow so I should replace it' not, 'my phone is slow so I should replace its battery,’” says Geekbench’s John Poole.

    When reached for comment, Apple basically confirmed the findings to The Verge, but disputes the assumed intention:

    Our goal is to deliver the best experience for customers, which includes overall performance and prolonging the life of their devices. 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.

    Last year we released a feature for iPhone 6, iPhone 6s and iPhone SE to smooth out the instantaneous peaks only when needed to prevent the device from unexpectedly shutting down during these conditions. We’ve now extended that feature to iPhone 7 with iOS 11.2, and plan to add support for other products in the future.

    Apple is effectively saying that it’s not slowing down older iPhones just to urge people to upgrade to newer devices. Rather, the company says it’s addressing an issue with devices containing older lithium-ion batteries that results in unexpected shutdowns. Because those older batteries are incapable of handling peak current draws with the same effectiveness of iPhones with newer batteries and more efficient processors, they run the risk of the device powering down to prevent damage to its internal components. The same is true of devices running in extremely cold or hot weather, as evidenced by a recent kerfuffle with the iPhone X shutting down randomly in freezing temperatures.

    It all makes sense. As battery life degrades, a smartphone’s ability to achieve the same performance with less efficient battery use degrades as well, and Apple has released updates to address that problem as best it can and avoid embarrassing device malfunctions or even potentially dangerous component failures. However, the company isn’t doing itself very many favors by being a bit opaque. It’s clear that controversies like this — underpinned by conspiracy theories around planned obsolescence — sprout up because there is a lack of communication between device manufacturers like Apple and consumers.

    It’s also clear that Apple, which makes its devices hard to open and repair, could do a better job helping consumers understand the benefits of battery replacement. That’s something the company seems less inclined to do when it might mean forgoing the sale of a new iPhone every 12 to 24 months.

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    Shelter Dweller The Monk's Avatar
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    Maybe this explains my slow iPad 2.......

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    mr. michelle jenneke deebakes's Avatar
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    fuckers

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    #DeSantis2024 Teh One Who Knocks's Avatar
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    And of course they're doing this out of the goodness of their hearts so your battery will last longer, not so you will think your device is old and get you to upgrade to a new one sooner than you need to. That's why they kept the whole thing a secret

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    Dilly dilly Goofy's Avatar
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    fuckers

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    Basement Dweller Godfather's Avatar
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    We knew it

    Last edited by Godfather; 12-23-2017 at 07:29 PM.

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    transracial Hal-9000's Avatar
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    Could it be...the clock speed slows down on three year old batteries. Because they are three year old batteries and need to be replaced?


    As in, they throttle down the processing speed because they don't want the device to fail?

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    Shelter Dweller The Monk's Avatar
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    I saw it reported yesterday that a class action lawsuit has been taken against Apple over this.

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    sign me up

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    #DeSantis2024 Teh One Who Knocks's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Hal-9000 View Post
    Could it be...the clock speed slows down on three year old batteries. Because they are three year old batteries and need to be replaced?


    As in, they throttle down the processing speed because they don't want the device to fail?
    If they were doing it out of the goodness of their hearts to keep your device from failing, why did they keep it a big secret until it was discovered by a third party?

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    transracial Hal-9000's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Teh One Who Knocks View Post
    If they were doing it out of the goodness of their hearts to keep your device from failing, why did they keep it a big secret until it was discovered by a third party?
    I don't know.

    I use Oranges and try not to compare them to Apples.




    see what I did there?

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    #DeSantis2024 Teh One Who Knocks's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Hal-9000 View Post
    I don't know.

    I use Oranges and try not to compare them to Apples.




    see what I did there?

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    transracial Hal-9000's Avatar
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    Christmas is such a sad time

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    Update Apple attempts to head off ‘batterygate,’ apologizes for secretly slowing older iPhones

    In attempts to make amends for iPhone slow down "misunderstanding."
    By Ryan Nakashima - Associated Press




    SAN FRANCISCO — Apple apologized for secretly slowing down older iPhones, a move it said was necessary to avoid unexpected shutdowns related to battery fatigue.

    Many customers had interpreted the move as a way to for Apple to juice demand for newer iPhone models, their suspicions fueled by the fact that the company didn’t initially disclose the slowdowns or its reasons for them.

    Apple also said it will cut the price of a battery replacement by $50 to $29 through next year. New batteries had previously cost $79 for those who didn’t purchase the Apple Care maintenance plan.

    “We apologize,” the company said on its website. “We have never — and would never — do anything to intentionally shorten the life of any Apple product, or degrade the user experience to drive customer upgrades.”

    The replacement plan begins in late January for anyone with an iPhone 6 or later that requires a new battery.

    Apple said it will also issue an update to its operating system early next year to give users a better understanding of the health of their battery, so they can see if its condition is affecting performance.

    Hostile customer reaction was swift after a report this month uncovered the intentional slowdown in speed tests. Only then did Apple acknowledge that the slowdown was due to a fix it rolled out last year. Shares dropped 2.5 percent Tuesday — also dinged by analysts predicting lower-than-expected demand for the iPhone X — and only partially recovered by Thursday.

    At least five groups seeking class-action status, involving consumers in Texas, Illinois, California and New York, have also sued the company in the wake of the slowdown revelation.

    Ben Bajarin, an analyst with Creative Strategies, said Apple found itself in a tough spot by having to explain what it did to cope with the reality that all lithium ion batteries degrade over time.

    “The error — if anything — was not being more transparent,” he said. “They were legitimately trying to make people’s iPhones last longer.”

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