Apple sorry for slowing iPhones, offers new batteries at discount
Rumors had persisted for years at tech news websites
SAN FRANCISCO: Apple on Thursday apologized to its customers for slowing down performance of older iPhone models and said it would discount replacement batteries for some of its handsets. The move by Apple responded to an uproar from iPhone users-and a series of lawsuits-after news of the battery problems stoked concerns the company was unfairly nudging consumers to upgrade.
“We know that some of you feel Apple has let you down. We apologize,” Apple said in a message to customers on its website. “We’ve always wanted our customers to be able to use their iPhones as long as possible. We’re proud that Apple products are known for their durability, and for holding their value longer than our competitors’ devices.” Apple said it was reducing the price of an out-of-warranty iPhone battery replacement from $79 to $29 for anyone with an iPhone 6 or later whose battery needs to be replaced, starting in late January through December 2018.
Software update
The company said it also would issue a software update to make it easier for customers to see if an aging battery is affecting performance. “As always, our team is working on ways to make the user experience even better, including improving how we manage performance and avoid unexpected shutdowns as batteries age,” the statement said. The controversy erupted last week after Apple acknowledged a feature to “smooth out” spikes in demand for power to prevent iPhone 6 models from shutting down due to the cold or weak batteries.
Rumors had persisted for years at tech news websites devoted to Apple products and among fans of the company’s products that iPhone performance was being intentionally slowed, perhaps to push users to buy newer models. Apple’s latest statement said that “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.”
But it noted that “batteries are consumable components that become less effective as they chemically age” and that factors such as heat can affect performance. Apple said a software update last year “manages the maximum performance of some system components when needed to prevent a shutdown” and that “in some cases users may experience longer launch times for apps and other reductions in performance.”
Avoid unexpected shutdowns as batteries age
‘Security, efficiency’
In related news, Apple’s board has instructed chief executive Tim Cook to use only private aircraft “in the interests of security and efficiency” at the world’s most valuable company, regulatory documents show. A filing with securities regulators this week said the board determined that its CEO must use private aircraft for “all business and personal travel.”
The policy was implemented in 2017 “in the interests of security and efficiency based on our global profile and the highly visible nature of Mr Cook’s role as CEO.” The filing noted that the value of the private flights is calculated as “imputed taxable income” which is not reimbursed by Apple. The filing showed Cook received some $12.8 million in compensation for 2017, including a salary of $3 million and incentive awards.
Cook took home far less than other top Apple executives including chief financial officer Luca Maestri and senior vice president Angela Ahrendts, who received some $24 million for the year. Yet Cook’s previous stock awards vested in 2017 were worth an additional $89 million for the CEO, according to the filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The market capitalization for the iPhone maker has been hovering around $900 billion and is up nearly 50 percent for the year.