Apple Confirmed A Longtime Conspiracy Theory, Gave Regular Customers A Big Reason To Distrust It

Business Insider ^ | 12-21-2017 | Troy Wolverton

[TheBattman]

Here we go again...

[blam]

Quantum Computing is just around the corner.

Things will become unbelieveable then.

[Swordmaker]

ANOTHER article misrepresenting what Apple actually announced they are doing, and were up front about it when it was included in iOS 10.2.1 last February 23, 2017 and described exactly what it would do and why. From an article in iMore on that date:

”My understanding is that, if a particularly processor-intensive task, such as a complex photo filter, caused a significant spike in power demand, an older battery unable to meet that demand could prompt a shutdown. So, by improving the advanced battery management in iOS 10.2.1, Apple has reduced the likelihood of that happening.

Batteries do age with time and charge cycles, though. To help with awareness, Apple is adding a service notice to Settings > Battery in iOS 10.2.1. It's similar to the one already in place on the Mac. Anyone with a particularly weak battery who still experiences the issue should contact AppleCare.

So it was announced and explained and it was NOT a general system wide device slowdown as the creator of Geek Bench is mistakenly announcing because his Geek Bench Testing actually TRIGGERS the exact condition that will create a peak draw, necessitating the thing he’s looking to find!— PING!

Apple
Ping!

The latest Apple/Mac/iOS Pings can be found by searching Keyword "ApplePingList" on FreeRepublic's Search.

If you want on or off the Mac Ping List, Freepmail me

[Swordmaker]

I suspected something. A month or two ago, I downloaded the Apple "update," the new operating system, on my iPad Pro which I purchased brand new last Spring. I have noticed that the iPad is slower and not as responsive as before the update. I am not going to download the update on my iPhone 7 which I just purchased new during the Summer.

Most of that slow down was not caused by this power management issue. You NEED to pickup the updates the fix the issues that caused those problems. New batteries will not be affected by this. . . and there are IMPORTANT SECURITY updates in the new iOS update your iPhone 7 needs.

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

The company on Wednesday acknowledged what some people have long suspected: that it has been secretly stifling the performance of older iPhones.

Die, corporate scum.

[Swordmaker]

The company on Wednesday acknowledged what some people have long suspected: that it has been secretly stifling the performance of older iPhones.

But that is NOT what Apple stated in their response to the claims of a general deliberate older iPhone slowdown. Here is what Apple’s official statement actually said:

"Last year (actual public release was January 23, 2017 in iOS 10.2.1— Swordmaker) 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."

It does not say it slows down the older iPhones for normal operations which is what the Geek Bench creator was going around saying in interviews to anyone who’d put him on camera. He’s basing that conclusion on his Geek Bench Testing which, by design, create exactly the kind of "instantaneous peak" usage that Apple’s new "feature" installed in these very phones he’s running the Geek Bench comparison tests is intended to prevent by spreading the type of processing the test does over a longer time! Naturally his test, triggering the safety feature, will report the device is appearing slower, but ONLY for doing the processor intensive tasks such as the Geek Bench Testing is intended to simulate!

All he’s proved is that Apple’s algorithm works during the stressful conditions it is intended to work under. It’s like wetting the streets down and then being surprised when a test for water on the streets finds water.

Replace the old, worn out battery with a new one and the algorithm will not find the conditions for it to kick in and an iPhone of that age works as fast as it did when new. Multiple tests have shown this to be true.

Apple has hidden nothing. This new feature of iOS 10.2.1 was discussed thoroughly back in January and February 2017 by reviewers of the update, for example here is contemporary commentary extracted by Rene Ritchie written iMore about this power management addition to iOS:

"My understanding is that, if a particularly processor-intensive task, such as a complex photo filter, caused a significant spike in power demand, an older battery unable to meet that demand could prompt a shutdown. So, by improving the advanced battery management in iOS 10.2.1, Apple has reduced the likelihood of that happening.

Batteries do age with time and charge cycles, though. To help with awareness, Apple is adding a service notice to Settings > Battery in iOS 10.2.1. It's similar to the one already in place on the Mac. Anyone with a particularly weak battery who still experiences the issue should contact AppleCare.

It’s obvious what this is about. . . The news media is misconstruing a power management tool that prevents iOS devices with older, end-of-life batteries from completely shutting down the device when presented with a power draw it cannot handle—something far more likely to occur with more demanding processor or GPU intensive apps and upgraded apps intended for more capable and faster multi-cored processor/GPU equipped devices that have been released since the iPhone 6 was designed almost four years ago—with a deliberate hidden agenda to force users into upgrading to newer models, when in actuality what Apple is doing has extended the life of that expended battery beyond its rated charge/recharge cycles lifespan so users may eke out more time on their devices before having to upgrade.

Of course, the user could expend between $10 and $79 and simply replace the depleted battery and solve the damn proble.

[Swordmaker]

Apple does not own my phone. I purchased it. They are crippling my personal property. This is a blatantly dishonest business practice and I hope Apple gets slapped with a huge class action lawsuit.

No, you’re falling for misinformative fake news.

Apple has essentially found a way to assure your car can get you to the gas station even though the gas in your tank is old and contaminated and won’t provide the proper octane rating because of those contaminants in the tank that your engine requires to run efficiently when your tank is close to empty. . . But if you try to go too fast, the engine will die and get sludged up with crud. So a governor is put on to keep the bad gas flow down to a minimum but keeps the engine still running and you can still get where you absolutely NEED to be.

To prevent damage to your engine, until you get your tank "fixed" the system is making sure you don’t run too much of the "bad contaminated gas" into your engine, but you can still get where you need to go to dilute the bad gas with good gas so it will run well again for a bit, but you STILL need to really fix the underlying problem of the contaminants.

That’s the analogy here.

[Swordmaker]

It has nothing to do with the battery, the slow down is hard coded.

No, it isn’t. Replace the depleted battery and the iPhone is just as fast as it was when new.

[Swordmaker]

I wouldn't be surprised that as part of a legal settlement, any iPhone older than two years with the 64-bit A-series system on a chip (SoC) (which would be iPhone 5S, 6 and 6S generation models) will be entitled to a low-cost battery replacement costing around $30 per customer. And iOS will be upgraded so once the operating system detects the replacement battery, it will run at full speed again.

Why?

The users have depleted the original batteries for 1190 charge/recharge cycles (assuming they bought their iPhone 6 on the day it was released to the public) and Apple and the Department of Defense says a Lithium-Ion battery should hold an 80% charge after 500 cycles which is its reliable life cycle. During most of that time, they experienced no slow performance. It is long past time to replace the batteries in these older devices which will SOLVE THE PROBLEM. Apple owes nothing for a depleted consumable. Why should they be required to pay for a future consumption of a new battery because they were doing everything they could to extend the useful life of the previous battery? Your position is illogical, Ray.

[Swordmaker]

Doesn’t slowing down any battery operated, computerized device make it run longer between charges, a way to extend life of old batteries?

Lithium-ion batteries have built in circuitry that will cause them to shut down output if the draw is greater than the battery is capable of delivering. It’s intended to control heat. . . But a shut down will also shut down the device completely. . . Not even a trickle of energy to keep things going that need it.

When voltage drops amperage spikes on such a draw. Not good. Apple was using power management that kicks in when the processor and GPU demand started going up and the older battery was going into stress. . . heading for an emergency shutdown. . . with the purpose of preventing the shutdown.

That’s what this huffing and puffing is all about.

[Swordmaker]

So then make them replaceable!

They are. YouTube video shows how to do it in two minutes.

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

So then make them replaceable!

They are. YouTube video shows how to do it in two minutes.

This issue puts me in mind of a brouhaha Chrysler under went when a document went public in which an engineer discussed a “defeat device” which suppressed operation of a particular emissions control function under conditions which made that particular emissions control function useless and wasteful. But it was awful, don’t you know, to have a defeat device suppressing emissions control, don’t you know . . .

For future reference it might be effective to create a link to the YouTube video in question, and maybe make the label of the link, “Solution to Slowdown of an old iPhone.”

[Prov1322]

Back in the early days of the iPhone, Mrs Prov1322 opted for one while I went for the Android offering on the same account and data plan.

A little over a year later the iPhone battery started wearing down dramatically. Was told that the phone battery could only be replaced by an Apple Tech (not true...). Found the iFixit.com group and their extraordinary how-to videos, tool sets and replacement battery for under $15. Very delicate surgery but the patient went on to live another few years with a new ticker.

The iFixit folks have greatly expanded beyond Apple products since then! Here are their current Apple kits...

You can fix it. We show you how.

[avenir]

I noticed a slow down on my iPad Air after updating these last (numerous) times. I turned off this and tweaked that, but you can tell response times are slower just moving around the pad. I have no battery issues. The weird thing is my older iPad 2 seems faster (they quit updating that awhile back).

In general, I’m unimpressed with where we are today re: speed. Like my Dad used to say, “When I click on something and BLINK! it’s there, my computer will be fast enough.”

I’m going to coin a term: Latent Dissolve Fatigue, for the gazillion times one screen dissolves into another, fades in and out, etc. Every minute little fancy delay adds up, over time, to LDF.

[DoughtyOne]

I agree. It’s hard to fathom what all will come from it.

[Hodar]

So then make them replaceable!

They are replaceable. But, you also have competign demands, for things like water resistance - which is incompatible with a snap on lid. People drop their iPhones in the shower, bathtub, toilet and even outside into puddles, pools and aquariums.

So, Apple did the logical thing, they made their phones more water resistant, and they have companies out that that will replace your battery for ~$79, or will sell you the tools and provide a step-by-step video to replace the battery yourself for $~20, tools included.

[dangerdoc]

There are multiple law suits alleging that Apple employees have been recommending that the older phones be replaced rather than informing customers that a battery replacement would fix the slow downs.

[spyone]

Almost feel sorry for them?
I have a litany of Apple devices and the problems started in Sept. with the new launch. It’s a software crime.
Two Xmas purchases didn’t happen from me.

[DoughtyOne]

I have three devices. I have an iPad Mini 2 and a iPad Pro. (I think Pro is the model).

My new iPhone X works great. There have been no issues with it or my iPads.

You may have a valid issue with Apple. You couldn’t prove it by me. Even if we see numerous reports on the internet, there must be a whole lot of people out there like me too.

It’s hard to gauge these things, not being too dismissive or too inclined to assume some dastardly plot.

[Swordmaker]

There are multiple law suits alleging that Apple employees have been recommending that the older phones be replaced rather than informing customers that a battery replacement would fix the slow downs.

There are currently three lawsuits requesting class status on this supposed "admission" by Apple to "slowing down older iPhones" which is a mischaracterization of what Apple actually stated. One suit asserts that the plaintiff(s) were told they had to buy a new iPhone as a solution to the problem. That is a mere assertion, yet to be proved one way or the other, and it is factuallyi true in that a new device is "one" of the solutions to the problems. However, the question remains is it the only solution they were offered?

I know that when I have talked to Apple tech support for clients with such a problem, that has been ONE of the proposed solutions along with replacing the battery, resetting the device, restoring the system software, and several other options to try. It was NEVER the first option, in fact, it is usually the last option they suggest.