Watch out the next time your iPhone asks if you want to update the iOS! There may be a surprise inside that is not a new feature. People with the iPhone 6, 6 Plus, 6S, 6S Plus, SE, 7, and 7 Plus have been surprised with Apple’s recent operating system updates by what was inside.
- Their phones slowed down.
- This was no accident.
- Apple knew and meant to slow them down.
For years, people have complained that their iPhones have degraded in performance at a fast rate, particularly when the operating system was updated. Apple has always advertised their recent iPhone models to be much faster and efficient than older versions. One may think that these speed increases, combined with the device in their hand feeling slow and sluggish, would drive additional sales.
Apple has recently confirmed that its iOS (mobile device operating system) released last year intentionally slowed iPhone operation. Apple claims that this “throttling” was needed to account for aging lithium ion batteries.
BUT WHY?
Apple slowed down these phones by capping the amount of power each chip cycle would use. For cycles that required a lot of power, the tasks were spread out over several cycles. Since each cycle takes time to complete, this effectively slows phone performance. A graphical representation of the iOS power cycle caps can be found on Geek Bench. Apple has not denied the Geek Bench figures.
Apple’s Statement in Response:
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.
Have You Been Affected?
Consumers unwittingly update their iOS systems on these iPhone models with software that intentionally slows their device. Apple’s software only targets those phones with worn batteries but does not warn users that replacing the battery would increase the performance of their phone. Replacing the battery is much less expensive that purchasing a new device.
These changes were made without consumers’ consent under the guise of an operating system update.
On December 22, 2017, The Brandi Law Firm filed class action lawsuit in San Francisco Superior Court against Apple claiming that its intentional software changes to reduce performance were unlawful, unfair, deceptive, and fraudulent.
If you believe that you have been affected by Apple’s intentional iPhone slowdown software, please contact the Brandi Law Firm to discuss your legal options.