We do make old iPhones slow down says Apple
IT’S something iPhone users have long suspected but were unable to prove... until now.
Apple has finally admitted it secretly reduces the speed of some of its iPhones.
Customers had speculated that the reason Apple slowed down the performance of older phones was to encourage users to upgrade to new handsets, potentially costing more than £1,000.
But yesterday the technology giant insisted that the real reason was to save the battery life of ageing smartphones.
The firm revealed that it has issued software updates for the phones’ operating system which have triggers to slow the speed of the handsets based on battery age.
Speeds are also automatically slowed when there are temperature extremes or a low charge. The updates affect the iPhone 6, iPhone 6S, iPhone SE and iPhone 7.
The feature was recently highlighted by users on the online forum Reddit, who accused the firm of pushing customers to upgrade. Apple initially kept quiet about the feature but confirmed it after independent lab tests found that handsets using the latest operating system slowed in five stages.
The tests, by US firm Primate Labs, involved iPhone 6S handsets which were using Apple’s iOS 10.2 operating software and the same devices on a new version of the software – iOS 10.2.1 – which was introduced in January 2017.
Writing earlier this week, Primate Labs’ John Poole said: ‘The difference between 10.2 and 10.2.1 is too abrupt to be just a function of battery condition. I believe that Apple introduced a change to limit performance when battery condition decreases past a certain point.’ Most lithium ion batteries in smartphones are designed to last 500 full charge and discharge cycles, or two years of typical use.
When a battery ages, the amount of power it can hold falls because chemical compounds inside degrade. This can cause phones to unexpectedly switch off – an experience many an iPhone user can relate to. Tech consultant Chris Green challenged Apple’s secrecy around the feature. He said: ‘They should be more transparent about it. You’re taking away performance that somebody has paid for.
‘If you’re going to slow down the phone over time, you should explain why it is happening.
‘But I do see where they’re coming from. By slowing the phone, it does help mitigate the problem of the diminishing battery.’
It comes just months after Apple launched its new iPhone range, including the iPhone X – the first handset to cost more than £1,000.
Apple said yesterday that it used the software update to slow down older handsets because it wanted to ‘prolong the life’ of the devices.
It said the feature is only applied in cases of extreme high or low temperatures, low charge or an aged battery, and was designed to protect internal components.
A spokesman said: ‘Our goal is to deliver the best experience for customers, which includes overall performance and prolonging the life of their devices.’