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Ah, thanks Apple
[url= http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-42438745 ]Apple has confirmed the suspicions of many iPhone owners by revealing it does deliberately slow down some models of the iPhone as they age.[/url]
seems sensible
Seems sensible - you do have the option of getting the battery replaced.
Sensible would be the phone offering the choice of
1. Just dealing with a flaky battery
2. Booking the phone in for a battery swap
3. Throttling phone performance to help a failing battery
Just throttling performance without telling customers what's going on isn't the right thing to do.
Indeed, shutdown at 10-20% is a common issue, Now that people are aware they have a relatively cheap fix to extend the life of their device rather than just thinking their only option is upgrade due to a failing phone
It does seem sensible, but strange that you wouldn't actually publicise such a sensible feature until someone else reveals it. I wonder why that is, any ideas anybody?
[i]you do have the option of getting the battery replaced. [/i]
But not if they don;t tell you it needs doing.
To be fair, the vast number of phone users are not tech-literate and also would probably never be aware of any such announcement even if it was made. It is consistent with their desire to make things as simple as possible.I wonder why that is, any ideas anybody?
Unless you only ever use your phone when it's on charge or connected to an external battery, who would ever choose a slight speed increase over battery life (on an already knackered battery)?
Agree it would've been nice if they'd mentioned it though 🙂
I knew my battery needed replaced on one of mine as it wasn’t working as good, it was replaced for free and the phone was back to normal.
I wonder why that is, any ideas anybody?
Perception, status, cachet etc.
Apple see themselves as an aspirational, premium lifestyle brand. Why would they advertise that some of their older products do not perform as well as they should, especailly when there are millions still in circulation?
My laptop just pops a message up saying the battery is nearing the end of its life. Apple could have just done that, but I guess less people would buy a new phone at upwards of 800 pounds...
Other phones are available.
True Ziippy and some had more concerning battery issues.
My laptop just pops a message up saying the battery is nearing the end of its life.
Yep and you can easily buy and fit a new battery to your laptop.
But Apple's philosophy is about making complex devices into [i]non-technical[/i] sealed consumer units which means [i]technical[/i] things like an easily replaceable battery are dropped for the sake of [i]simplicity[/i] (and profit obviously).
..but I guess less people would buy a new phone..
"fewer" ffs
"fewer" ffs
damn autocorrect..
Even the most simple minded person can change a battery on a typical Android phone.
WTF does Apple seal their phones for? Apart from profit?
This could explain why my 6 is very very slow yet 2.5yrs in the battery still appears ok !
Seems sensible - you do have the option of getting the battery replaced.
+1
This could explain why my 6 is very very slow yet 2.5yrs in the battery still appears ok !
Download GeekBench4 for 99p and compare with [url= https://www.geekbench.com/blog/2017/12/iphone-performance-and-battery-age/ ]these results[/url].
Just tested my 6s with GeekBench4 - scored > 2500, so no slow down yet.
I understand it is just the 6s that they will replace the battery for free?
You can check if you are eligible [url= https://www.apple.com/uk/support/iphone6s-unexpectedshutdown/ ]here[/url]
Mine is so I am going to take it in in the new year.
My laptop just pops a message up saying the battery is nearing the end of its life.
My MBP has been saying that for the last 6 years, still works ok (2-3 hours battery life).
Even the most simple minded person can change a battery on a typical Android phone.
I thought some of the Android phones had switched to sealed cases too these days?
e.g. https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Samsung+Galaxy+S8+Battery+Replacement/90309 doesn't look like a simple job
Remembering you are paying 79 for a 2.50 battery to get the speed back.
Now contract are running for more than 2 years I guess this is a way to stop people coming and claiming a battery before they have finished paying for the device.
I wonder if STW's hosting provider needs its battery changing too? 😉
hamsters need batteries now?
hamsters need batteries now?
Well rabbits do...
I just replaced the battery on my 6. Not that hard really & made a huge difference.
I was going to get a new phone this year, but won't bother for another year or two now.
Even the most simple minded person can change a battery on a typical Android phone.WTF does Apple seal their phones for? Apart from profit?
Not at all true I'm afraid. None of my last 4 Android phones have had an easily replaceable battery, same goes for any of my wife's phones.
Most of them are totally sealed. My current one hasn't even got a sodding headphone jack or SD card slot.
That's really interesting. Thanks for sharing.
I've had my iPhone 6 shut down unexpectedly in cold(ish) weather recently; this gives me an avenue to explore.
You can take your idevice into an apple store (or send it off if you want) and they will test it for you.
I run the public beta software and iOS 11 was killing the battery life. I wanted to know if it was below the hardware replacement threshold. It wasn't (80% in two years, mine was at 83%). It seems to have resolved itself now.
I haven't noticed any throttling of speed, but it does need a top-up during the day.
I'd noticed my 6 has been exceedingly slow since going to iOS 11. It had me thinking that I'd change over to an Android phone next, as I believed Apple had the attitude to "slow them down to make them upgrade".
As it turns out I'd decided to order a new battery for <£20 at the start of this week after a sudden shutdown in the cold last weekend. Fingers crossed I get a speed boost out of this too.
someone said the other day "probably should give them a massive tax break to sort this out".......I chortled
Androids use same battery technology but I don't think Google show older phones down with updates?
Conversely as of today my mac book pro battery has started to last more than 30 minutes.
Pretty sure most people replace their phones, regardless of make, well before any issues to do with an aging battery become really apparent.
Let’s face it, Samsung, LG and other manufacturers don’t spend huge sums advertising their latest whizzy new phones everywhere just for the lolz, do they?
They’re hardly going to encourage people to hang on to their phone for three or four years for altruistic reasons, now are they...
is this the same for ipads?
If Samsung/Google did this with updates I might believe Apple.
As is, it's utter BS.
This is Apple after all.
Battery now flat, battery level display not working properly.
http://bgr.com/2017/12/21/apple-slowing-old-iphones-how-to-tell/
Poopscoop - Member
If Samsung/Google did this with updates I might believe Apple.As is, it's utter BS.
This is Apple after all.
Ha!
Half the time Google can’t be arsed to update versions of Android, and have zero interest in helping battery life of phones they don’t manufacture, they only produce the OS after all.
And Samsung have a history of iffy batteries, they make them, whereas Apple don’t, they rely on the likes of Samsung and Sony, who themselves were responsible for exploding laptop batteries.
is this the same for ipads?
Good point, but unlikely, the batteries are that much larger in capacity.
What's wrong with planned obsolescence. Every engineered product has a useful service life. It's built into every other product we buy. Nothing lasts forever especially IT kit. Keeping old iPhone 4's and earlier up and running with multiple versions of the Operating system and multiple versions of apps for different phone models to keep the old creaking things limping on long after they should be binned isn't really feasible for Apple or any other tech company.
CountZerothey only produce the OS after all.
Yeah....
As I type away on my Pixel...
Apple see themselves as an aspirational, premium lifestyle brand.
Which is true, I dont have a problem with that If you think it is worth paying to have one because you like it fair enough, same with a £150 pair of trainers or whatever.
But trying to claim they are superior to everything else just because they are apple is when it gets silly, everything they launch as a new amazing feature was on someone elses device a few years previous.
When they launched one of the first iphones the TV advert showed how amazing it was by having an app to help you figure out how to split the bill with friends at a restaurant... so like the calculator on my nokia 3310 then? 😆
wiggles - Member
But trying to claim they are superior to everything else just because they are apple is when it gets silly, everything they launch as a new amazing feature was on someone elses device a few years previous.
You don't work in advertising do you?
Changing the screen and battery on my 6 took 20 minutes, cost £63 and it’ll now do me fine for the next few years.
so like the calculator on my nokia 3310 then?
Pffft!
[img] 
[/img]
everyone, even the most dim of people, knows that rechargeable batteries of any kind don't last forever.
apple could have just popped up a message box saying 'your battery is on the way out, how do you want to use your phone - accept slightly reduced performance or continue with the same performance but accept you'll have to charge it more frequently?' or even just alerted customers that if either of those options doesn't suit them they can get the consumable part in their hone replaced at their nearest store for 70 quid or whatever.
this would hardly have been a surprise to anyone.
but they didn't, and happily for apple a gradually slowing down phone encourages an upgrade. manipulative IMO.
I've just replaced my battery (20 minutes and < £20) and can confirm an immediate speed increase when doing stuff like opening apps and the like.
I'm glad the geekbench guys highlighted this, saved me from dumping the iPhone for an Android
Just buy a new phone.
Bought an X and it works ok.
Giving my nephew my old 7 plus. The battery is 9% worm apparently.
Put a new battery in my old 4 and my old 5S before handing it down to family etc no probs.
The battery is 9% worm apparently.
Bio-engineering at it's finest.
Frankenstein - Member
Just buy a new phone.Bought an X and it works ok.
At £1,149!! 😯 Okay, monthly contract deal with EE possibly more achievable for those on a budget.
Meanwhile, in the real world for those not quite so well heeled...
As I type away on my Pixel...
So? It’s taken Google how many attempts to produce their own device? They started Android as a knock-off of the Blackberry OS, designed to run on handsets that were knock-offs of the Blackberry.
Then Apple announced the iPhone and iOS and Google executives realised they were in real trouble and had to pretty much do a rushed copy of iOS on the Android OS.
This is historical fact, Apple changed the entire phone/smartphone environment overnight, and Google and Microsoft have been playing catch-up ever since.
These are facts that cannot be argued with, no matter how much you might dislike Apple.
Same with computers, Apple had the first proper GUI, based on a system created by IBM but never used, and which Apple paid a licence for its use.
but they didn't, and happily for apple a gradually slowing down phone encourages an upgrade. manipulative IMO.
Funny that exactly the same thing happens with every make and model of smartphone, and, without exception, none point out that they slow down as the battery degrades, thus encouraging people to upgrade.
Care to explain why Apple are at fault, and Samsung/LG/et al aren’t?
Love really is blind.
Thanks for the info folks, looks like my 6s is within the battery change programme..
Now just to sort out the change.... 😐
Care to explain why Apple are at fault, and Samsung/LG/et al aren’t?
Isn't it that, yes, all batteries degrade over time, but Apple are the only company that actually makes their phones run slower.
but Apple are the only company that actually makes their phones run slower.
The only ones who admitted they do.
My Dad has my old 6S.
Apple took it in for a battery change (postal by Royal Mail).
3 month warranty for battery swaps. Main warranty ran out 1 day after I contacted them about the recall.
The phone went nuts a with a week of battery change warranty left. Apple changed it again and it’s been great ever since.
Just kidding about the go buy an X. I’d rather go on holiday/pay bills. It was a birthday treat and I have no kids to rely on me and not everyone is on a 100K.
To be honest I didn’t buy a new bike this year and hence the new phone.
Go YouTube or pay some back street mobile shop to do it.
To be honest I didn’t buy a new bike this year and hence the new phone.
Well as long as you also have a modest house.
😀
Maybe Apple degrade performance over time on purpose so you get frustrated and buy a new one?
The battery thing is just a "palatable" excuse.
Older phones are going to slow down anyway as the software gets more sophisticated and outgrows the capabilities of the hardware, so really all smartphones are affected it's just wether or not that performance slowdown is actively managed. So the accusation they are doing it to try to force people to buy new phones earlier doesn't really carry any water. Apple say they manage performance to maximise battery life- that is plausible technically, but ultimately irrelevant as the performance will be slowing anyway.
I guess the best option would be for Apple to have this capability as a setting so people can decide if they want the phone performance actively managed or not.
My iPhone 5 runs fine. Not super quick but it doesn't need to be - it'll do me for another year at least.
but Apple are the only company that actually makes their phones run slower.
The only ones who admitted they do.
Admitted / found out..... Same thing I guess.
Same with computers, Apple had the first proper GUI,
No they didn't. That credit goes to Xerox, a decade before Apple got in on the act.
based on a system created by IBM but never used, and which Apple paid a licence for its use.
AFAIK, this is fiction. Are you getting confused with OS/2? The original Apple GUI is a (very) loose descendent of the Xerox system, OSX is based on NeXTSTEP.
https://www.macrumors.com/2017/02/23/apple-unexpected-iphone-6-shutdowns-solved/
So how do you think they dealt with uneven power delivery from an ageing battery? it was publicised if you bothered to read the small print.
[quote=kiwijohn ]I just replaced the battery on my 6. Not that hard really & made a huge difference.
I was going to get a new phone this year, but won't bother for another year or two now.
This is exactly why they do it. People replace phones because they are "old and slow" and Apple make a new phone sale.
It is not in their interest to not have people using already paid for phones and since we're now into incremental feature increases instead of game-changers they do this.
Plus - it doesn't look good if the phone just turns off randomly.,
The secrecy about it is what damns them.
I bet it doesn't lose them any significant sales.
Cougar - Moderator
Same with computers, Apple had the first proper GUI,
No they didn't. That credit goes to Xerox, a decade before Apple got in on the act.
Possibly even predated by Engelbart.
Having hacked about a bit in Android, I'm aware that Dalvik has a whole bunch of ways to monitor battery state and take appropriate actions. For example, its possible to schedule lots of network-heavy activities while the device is charging. So, Android definitely [i]can[/i] reduce 'performance' when battery conditions dictate, but I suspect its not heavily enforced.
However, Android devices can definitely reduce clock speed when battery is low, or internal temps are high.
What's wrong with planned obsolescence
Erm, let me see. Oh yeah, we live on a planet with limited resources that we're working our way through at an exponential rate. Nothing wrong with that, obviously. Bit like nuclear weapons, what's wrong with them?
In relation to the battery problems, Apple have posted a response on their site [url= https://www.apple.com/uk/iphone-battery-and-performance/ ]https://www.apple.com/uk/iphone-battery-and-performance/[/url]
This is the best bit 🙂
"Apple is reducing the price of an out-of-warranty iPhone battery replacement by £54 — from £79 to £25 — for anyone with an iPhone 6 or later whose battery needs to be replaced, available worldwide until December 2018. Details will be provided soon on apple.com/uk."