Apple deliberately slows old iPhones! A story of good reasons and dumb, dumb messaging
- For years I swore to friends and family that Apple wasn't deliberately slowing old iPhones. I was wrong. But I don't feel bad — Apple's reasoning was sound. But their lack of communication and transparency around a smart decision was just so dumb.
Full story from the iMore Blog...12-21-2017 09:10 AMLike 0 - So if I replace the battery on my iPhone 6, will I notice a performance increase? What isn’t clear is if the updates throttle performance on the basis of the phone model, or if it senses that the battery is truly aging and not what it used to be. These stories aren’t explaining that.
I think I bought my 6 four years ago so replacing the original battery sounds like it might be worth the trouble.12-21-2017 10:04 AMLike 0 - So if I replace the battery on my iPhone 6, will I notice a performance increase? What isn’t clear is if the updates throttle performance on the basis of the phone model, or if it senses that the battery is truly aging and not what it used to be. These stories aren’t explaining that.
I think I bought my 6 four years ago so replacing the original battery sounds like it might be worth the trouble.12-21-2017 12:22 PMLike 0 -
Hopefully, Calebt is correct about the battery.12-21-2017 12:46 PMLike 0 -
- 12-21-2017 05:46 PMLike 0
- Exactly what Apple would like you to do after they update your phone .DEman19901 and Quis89 like this.12-22-2017 04:56 AMLike 2
- I am not buying the phone slowing down due to battery degradation. After selling my iPhone 7 and S7 Edge, I was using a brand new iPhone 6. The 32GB version which came out this year. I bought it in August. After IOS 11, it slowed to a crawl with a battery that was a couple of months old at the most. I had to deal with it until I bought the X. I am not sure that if one was to replace the battery that it would fix anything.12-22-2017 05:51 AMLike 0
- I am not buying the phone slowing down due to battery degradation. After selling my iPhone 7 and S7 Edge, I was using a brand new iPhone 6. The 32GB version which came out this year. I bought it in August. After IOS 11, it slowed to a crawl with a battery that was a couple of months old at the most. I had to deal with it until I bought the X. I am not sure that if one was to replace the battery that it would fix anything.Tartarus likes this.12-22-2017 05:58 AMLike 1
- That wasn't the case from just going back to an iPhone 6. After going to IOS 11, it would take a few seconds for some apps to open. This wasn't occurring on IOS 10. I am talking about tapping on an app and literally waiting seconds(3 or 4) for it to open.12-22-2017 06:02 AMLike 0
- Aaah gotcha. Probably a software or hardware issue with your particular device then. Otherwise we’d be flooded with complaints from iPhone 6 users.12-22-2017 06:06 AMLike 0
- I don't know exactly what was going on but a couple of coworkers and their kids were having the same problem. The only difference were their's were bought around original launch and mine was fairly new. My point is new and old batteries, same results.12-22-2017 06:10 AMLike 0
- Either way I’ve lost some trust in Apple over this. I’m an annual upgrader so none of this really concerns me but the fact that Apple would throttle devices, whether it be due to old batteries or old phones, and hide it from customers is troubling. Apple got caught with its hands in the cookie jar and that’s the only reason they even admitted to degrading performance. What else could they be hiding?DEman19901 and Tartarus like this.12-22-2017 06:16 AMLike 2
- My 6s Plus does that on iOS 10.1.1. Not always, but many times I tap an icon, and it seems to freeze a second or two before opening. That started when I first updated to iOS 10. But, generally, my speeds are fine. According to the Battery Life app, I'm at around 75% life. But I don't notice any slowdown at all.12-22-2017 06:20 AMLike 0
- Either way I’ve lost some trust in Apple over this. I’m an annual upgrader so none of this really concerns me but the fact that Apple would throttle devices, whether it be due to old batteries or old phones, and hide it from customers is troubling. Apple got caught with its hands in the cookie jar and that’s the only reason they even admitted to degrading performance. What else could they be hiding?
I’m not sure why they would hide it. It says they improved battery life and prevented phones from crashing right in the upgrade notes. What would they gain by hiding it?12-22-2017 02:08 PMLike 0 -
If I don't know that replacing my battery will resolve my slowness, I would instead purchase an entirely new phone. Apple would MUCH rather I buy a new phone from them than replace my battery and continue with my old device.
This seems to be exactly what Apple is banking on, lol. There is a HUGE price difference between $80 and buying a new iPhone 7. There isn't a deal on the planet that will make that a comparable move, lol. At minimum you may find a 7 for $500. That's a $420 difference to resolve something that $80 could fix. That'd be why one wouldn't upgrade to a newer model.12-22-2017 02:16 PMLike 0 - What would they gain by hiding the fact that a new battery could potentially add additional life to our smart phones that was lost as our batteries aged???? The software update literally throttled our devices. The reasoning makes perfect sense. Nobody is arguing that. But the fact that phones were throttled without us knowing as a fix for something that a new battery could resolve is an issue. You guys have to see how this is problematic?
If I don't know that replacing my battery will resolve my slowness, I would instead purchase an entirely new phone. Apple would MUCH rather I buy a new phone from them than replace my battery and continue with my old device.
I don’t have a problem with the fact they could/should have explained it better even though they spoke about it in the update notes. It would have alleviated any surprises. I just don’t think it was done maliciously or to get people to buy newer devices, unless I’m proven wrong.
Best of luck to you.12-22-2017 02:23 PMLike 0 - I understand your frustration. But I do think that most phone batteries, over a couple of years of charging cycles, are at the point of replacement. I would be interested what your battery life was like. It certainly was easier in the days of non sealed batteries to just throw another one in, that’s for sure.
I don’t have a problem with the fact they could/should have explained it better even though they spoke about it in the update notes. It would have alleviated any surprises. I just don’t think it was done maliciously or to get people to buy newer devices, unless I’m proven wrong.
Best of luck to you.
In my opinion, they were wrong. I imagine I'm not alone considering a class-action lawsuit has already begun. I upgrade annually so this wouldn't have really affected me. I just have an issue with companies hiding information that could affect how we spend our money.calebt likes this.12-22-2017 02:39 PMLike 1 - Not sure that proof will ever come. But I'm sure many phone upgrades have taken place due to poor performance that could have been resolved with a battery replacement. That's the only issue I have here. The lack of transparency. Apple throttled phones. This is a fact. Their reasoning is one thing. But at the end of the day we know they throttled devices. And without the knowledge that they A) knowingly throttled devices and B) did it to ensure our devices ran smoothly, people may have spent money they didn't need to.
In my opinion, they were wrong. I imagine I'm not alone considering a class-action lawsuit has already begun. I upgrade annually so this wouldn't have really affected me. I just have an issue with companies hiding information that could affect how we spend our money.
As far as a class action lawsuit meaning many people think Apple did something wrong? People will sue over anything they think will make them 50 cents. It means a bunch of greedy people and lawyers trying to make a name for themselves have dollar signs flashing in front of their eyes. I find these trivial lawsuits embarrassing to our society when we have actual problems that we ignore. But that’s for another day and a different forum.
JMHO.12-22-2017 02:47 PMLike 0 - I agree that companies should not hide things from customers that may affect them. I don’t have a problem with that. I think they should have been more transparent.
As far as a class action lawsuit meaning many people think Apple did something wrong? People will sue over anything they think will make them 50 cents. It means a bunch of greedy people and lawyers trying to make a name for themselves have dollar signs flashing in front of their eyes. I find these trivial lawsuits embarrassing to our society when we have actual problems that we ignore. But that’s for another day and a different forum.
JMHO.
But that's just my opinion. And I think we agree that more transparency could have been had here.TgeekB likes this.12-22-2017 03:03 PMLike 1 - I read somewhere that some iPhones were crashing at 35% battery strength , and that this slowing down was introduced to stop this happening. It seems a questionable action to me- obviously the batteries are tired and need replacing by Apple at their cost when this occurs, after all it was them that sent these devices out with inadequate battery power to last past their own extended warranties. Instead Apple reduces the functionality of these expensive toys that many have bought because of purported increases of speed.12-22-2017 03:19 PMLike 0
- I read somewhere that some iPhones were crashing at 35% battery strength , and that this slowing down was introduced to stop this happening. It seems a questionable action to me- obviously the batteries are tired and need replacing by Apple at their cost when this occurs, after all it was them that sent these devices out with inadequate battery power to last past their own extended warranties. Instead Apple reduces the functionality of these expensive toys that many have bought because of purported increases of speed.12-22-2017 06:18 PMLike 0
- 12-22-2017 06:38 PMLike 0
-
- I’m not sure I buy the reasoning given by Apple. I have/had multiple iPhones and since the 4 they have always slowed noticeably on the last update they were scheduled for. Almost planned obsolescence or at least it seemed that way. Just my thoughts on this as I have no proof but their admission will surely fuel the flames of the conspiracy folk. Like catching an employee stealing from the till, its probably not the only time they did something wrong.12-22-2017 08:09 PMLike 0
- Forum
- iMore Community Discussions
- iMore.com News Discussion & Contests
Apple deliberately slows old iPhones! A story of good reasons and dumb, dumb messaging
« Charge ten devices at once with Anker's $28 compact PowerPort 10 USB wall charger
|
#iPhoneSlow: What the analysts and experts have to say »
Similar Threads
-
Free Apple TV 4K with Directv Now
By nikkisharif in forum Apple TVReplies: 32Last Post: 06-24-2019, 08:23 PM -
Apple admits it slows down older phones. What are your thoughts about it?
By Kirstein Gourlay in forum iOSReplies: 152Last Post: 01-06-2018, 04:36 PM -
Is there a way to transfer messages, photos and contacts over on new setup
By mach1man in forum iPhone XReplies: 4Last Post: 12-22-2017, 03:15 PM -
YouTube slow response to touch
By Redx in forum iPad SeriesReplies: 5Last Post: 12-22-2017, 12:50 AM -
End of Year Deal: Grab BaDoink VR for up to 70% off! [NSFW]
By iMore.com in forum iMore.com News Discussion & ContestsReplies: 0Last Post: 12-20-2017, 09:40 PM
LINK TO POST COPIED TO CLIPBOARD