Posted on 12/21/2017 4:36:36 PM PST by blam
Apple has long inspired an almost religious devotion among customers and tech aficionados but it just seriously undermined its fans' faith and loyalty.
The company on Wednesday acknowledged what some people have long suspected: that it has been secretly stifling the performance of older iPhones.
Critics have accused the company in the past, based on anecdotal evidence, of purposely slowing phones to compel users to upgrade to the latest model. While Apple admitted to the practice on Wednesday, it sought to underscore that it had done so for a purely altruistic reason: to prevent older phones from shutting down unexpectedly.
The justification hasn't mollified Apple's outraged fans. If anything, the company's statement has stoked the conspiracy theories, and for good reason.
Apple Was Caught Red-Handed
By the company's own admission, it's been throttling the performance of iPhones since last year.
Apple hasn't explained why it didn't disclose the practice until now, after GeekBench released charts based on its data that showed how older iPhones were not performing as quickly as they had when they launched.
Apple's secrecy a badge of honor when it comes to unveiling new products is certain to encourage distrust in this situation. Apple comes across as an organization that was intentionally hiding something, something it acknowledged only when it was caught red-handed.
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(Excerpt) Read more at businessinsider.com ...
You do not own the software. Apple does. They can do anything they want to the software. IP laws suck
Correct. And that is the same no matter what device those batteries are used in. Blaming Apple for the natural deterioration of battery performance is as silly as saying Ford makes lousy cars because their tires wear out after 70,000 miles.
If it was a legitimate practice to protect older phone’s battery, then it should be an option in the System Settings to enable or disable it.
Typing this on a 3rd generation iPad that seems as capable as the day I bought it. It’s forever topped-out at iOS 9, but it still runs just fine.
Under $20 if you install your own, including tools.
Appears you are correct.
My old iPad has been taken over by my 8-year old son who uses it to play games. I honestly never touch it except to plug it in to the charger. Curious, I tested it out and it does seem to be working much faster. I know for a while, it barely worked on the internet. Maybe Apple fixed something on it?
I 'm typing this reply on a 2009 MacBook Pro that was functioning perfectly until my kids dumped Gatorade in it. I wound up breaking off some keys trying to clean it and now it's been turned into a desktop hooked to an external monitor and wireless keyboard. Still works great though!
Doesnt slowing down any battery operated, computerized device make it run longer between charges, a way to extend life of old batteries?
Apple is just following the MS marketing plan used for decades.
I thought about that. My iPhone 6 was sluggish after the last upgrade, and I had noticed more rapid battery drain before that.
Batteries drain and chemistry degrades. A new battery would have given it new life, but technology marches on. The new camera and cpu/gpu tech among others prompted my to upgrade to an iPhone 8.
If I only relied on phone and maybe browser functions, I wouldnt have bothered. But its a tool. A sophisticated one at that, and the newer hardware appeals.
My $0.02
It doesn’t take something like this to cause folks to mistrust Apple.
It’s almost a religion in some non-Apple users.
Apple ain’t perfect. Guess what. None of the other companies are either.
With technology increasing as it is, there’s two options. Watch older phones become obsolete, or limit the improvements on new phones.
The earlier iPhones were great in their day. We have to upgrade from time to time. Who knew?
I remember what I was using in the mid 1980s. Hey, I thought those were great phones too.
My iPhone X makes them look like waxed cups and ten feet of string. No, make that five feet.
The wife’s older IPad had the same problem. To whomever above who said MS does this, you’re full of it. Never had these problems with MS and I know of some small businesses still running strong on Win 95.
This is the way Apple keeps the fan boys and other sheep continually buying overpriced upgrades, by making their current systems unfriendly.
Replaceable batteries would be nice....
An Osborne Executive portable computer, from 1982, with a Zilog Z80 4 MHz CPU, and a 2007 Apple iPhone with a 412 MHz ARM11 CPU; the Executive weighs 100 times as much, has nearly 500 times the volume, costs approximately 10 times as much (adjusted for inflation), and has about 1/100th the clock frequency of the smartphone.
Linux Mint fixes that.
Yeah, but let’s see that iPhone take a 5.25” floppy.
Great example Blam.
I mean it’s sort of a pain to think of an iPhone6 being out-moded now, but it is. The new iPhone 8s or Xs are amazing devices.
You almost have to feel sorry for the manufacturer having to take criticism because it has done an amazing job of improving the newer mobile phones so much.
250 gigabytes in your hand. Absolutely phenomenal.
The newer camera options, the facial recognition, the software that just keeps on coming.
I made a list of all the things the phone does, and it really is almost a miracle in your hand.
My hat is off to Apple.
Good thing we were strong in those days.
Having a computer "in your pocket" was science fiction.
So then make them replaceable!
No doubt. I also think that Verizon purposely drops calls of older telephones to get you to upgrade phones.
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