Apple Slowing iPhone-$29 Battery / Google Tracking

[racketboy]

For what it's worth, I finally upgraded my iPhone 7 to the iOS 11 and it actually seems snappier. I feel like my only complaint about my "aging" phone is the battery life seems to be shorter (which is natural). So I would be willing to take a performance trade-off if it was strategic. The only other thing that makes me want to upgrade is the continual wish for an ever-better camera.

[CRTGAMER]

A surprise from Apple though I do not believe the excuse in the apology. They are blaming the aging battery as the cause of the slowdown! At least Apple is addressing the deception with a discount on a new battery and planning another software update. However, the old battery system slow down will still be in the newer update! Now if they would add an opt out software slowdown and not just the weak battery indicator.

No clarity if the DATE of the phone battery is checked and not just the charge level. Sounds far fetched, but not difficult to include digital imprint detection. HP Printer has implemented serial number digital encoding for years on some Ink Jet cartridges preventing refilling!

https://www.apple.com/iphone-battery-and-performance/

A Message to Our Customers about iPhone Batteries and Performance
We’ve been hearing feedback from our customers about the way we handle performance for iPhones with older batteries and how we have communicated that process. We know that some of you feel Apple has let you down. We apologize. There’s been a lot of misunderstanding about this issue, so we would like to clarify and let you know about some changes we’re making. First and foremost, 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. Our goal has always been to create products that our customers love, and making iPhones last as long as possible is an important part of that.

About a year ago in iOS 10.2.1, we delivered a software update that improves power management during peak workloads to avoid unexpected shutdowns on iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, and iPhone SE. With the update, iOS dynamically manages the maximum performance of some system components when needed to prevent a shutdown. While these changes may go unnoticed, in some cases users may experience longer launch times for apps and other reductions in performance. We recently extended the same support for iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus in iOS 11.2.

Over the course of this fall, we began to receive feedback from some users who were seeing slower performance in certain situations. Based on our experience, we initially thought this was due to a combination of two factors: a normal, temporary performance impact when upgrading the operating system as iPhone installs new software and updates apps, and minor bugs in the initial release which have since been fixed. We now believe that another contributor to these user experiences is the continued chemical aging of the batteries in older iPhone 6 and iPhone 6s devices, many of which are still running on their original batteries.

Apple is reducing the price of an out-of-warranty iPhone battery replacement by $50 — from $79 to $29 — for anyone with an iPhone 6 or later whose battery needs to be replaced, starting in late January and available worldwide through December 2018. Details will be provided soon on apple.com.

Early in 2018, we will issue an iOS software update with new features that give users more visibility into the health of their iPhone’s battery, so they can see for themselves if its condition is affecting performance.

Why not allow disabling the slow down in the Settings screen? A slow phone also drains the battery, owners should be given a choice!

[marurun]

I believe Apple’s technical explanation. Since late 10.x the system monitors how well the battery can deliver peak power, and when it is clear it is aging and having trouble the OS begins to throttle the CPU to maximize uptime on an aging battery. I remember the complaints about sudden shutdowns. This measure was intended to prevent that circumstance. Apple’s lack of communication and lack of visibility in the OS as to what’s going on was the problem, not the change itself. I think the $29 battery replacement policy for next year is a very appropriate step to help mitigate the surprise factor. I think very few other hardware or software vendors would take this step.

[samsonlonghair]

$29?

Well, if I can get my battery upgraded for only twenty-nine dollars, I'm going to take Apple up on that offer. I hope I don't need my original receipt or anything for my iPhone 6. Who am I kidding? I bought my iPhone second hand. Apple's probably not going to honor that offer for me.

[Melek-Ric]

$29? :shock:

Well, if I can get my battery upgraded for only twenty-nine dollars, I'm going to take Apple up on that offer. I hope I don't need my original receipt or anything for my iPhone 6. :roll: Who am I kidding? :lol: I bought my iPhone second hand. Apple's probably not going to honor that offer for me.

If it has never been opened, I don't see why Apple would care. The battery replacement is for devices out of warranty anyway.

I know that my sister is going to take advantage of this. I just got my SE in September so I don't think I'll need a new battery for a couple years. Still gonna stay on iOS 10.3.3 for the foreseeable future. And I won't buy a new iPhone again unless it has a 4" display.

[marurun]

My battery is mostly fine for one 2 years old. I will wait for Apple to release the update with better battery tools and go from there.

[Blu]

Haha, can I do this with my "ancient" 5s?

[marurun]

Nope. Gotta pay full price. The discounted battery replacement only covers 6 and 6s series phones, because those are the ones old enough to run afoul of that behavior. If your phone is an older model than that your battery should be well over the hump by now.

[marurun]

So, Macworld has an article listing exactly what models are covered (more than I originally though) and other details. I recommend reading it if you have an iPhone of any variety.

https://www.macworld.com/article/324516 ... t-faq.html

[Tanooki]

That's messed up. The 5S should be in the program since they stuffed that wretched ios11 on there and still support it until the next cycle.