Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Apple Being Sued for 'Purposefully Slowing Down Older iPhone Models' [Updated]
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Agreed for the most part.
If apple updates IOS to give customers the option to turn off throttling then complaints about random shut offs or the OS crashing will increase. Then apple will have to put out a another PSA about how battery technology works and because they're a business they'll offer the battery replacement service you can get TODAY through 3rd party services. THEN complaints about how tech sucks because the battery's don't last and will eventually turn throttling back on because it's the cheapest way to fix the problem while still having most of the acceptable user experience still in tact.
[doublepost=1513967190][/doublepost]
Are we talking about a warranty on a 2-year-old device? Serious question.
This is more like a tempest in a teapot. The people who will be upset, IMO, are the iOS 9 killed my 4s crowd. I don’t see this doing, IMO, the type of issue you alluded to in your post.
And if I were the competition I would be careful because having an exploding phone is worse than a throttled one.
I apologize for the hyperbole, but I thought I could make the point easier with some exaggeration.
Yup, and as a developer that primary uses SpriteKit and SceneKit, I’m already looking for more cross platform alternatives. I won’t place my bet only on that horse anymore.
I don’t understand what you’re trying to say. Not being the grammar police, but your words aren’t making sense. Apple does need to replace every faulty battery out there. And at the VERY least, they need to add a toggle under Settings to allow the user the choice of keeping performance or battery life. I don’t like Apple making that choice, and even worse, hiding it until called out by media. This is just a bad situation. I’m not being extreme, but if Apple does nothing, and my 7 Plus starts slowing down, I’m not buying another iPhone. I’ll keep my iPP and MBP and go to the Pixel.
One year only if you happen to buy on launch day. Apple still sells the 6S and the 7 new on their website that will be throttled right out of the door, on brand new batteries...
I strongly agree this should be a control setting. If I have a bad battery, which my son did, this will fix the problem, we would still have the phone. If it can slow the processor and save battery, I would turn it on on a good phone when it is in standby most of the day.
Apple is totally guilty and went about it wrong direction. When we and a friend’s phone had this dying problem, the genius would not tell us for sure there is a battery problem. They said maybe changing the battery MAY fix his crashing when cold or less than 50% level. Problem is we don’t know if there is a problem with the phone or battery. With this we would know it is the battery and have the battery swapped. With no guarantee, we weren’t going to spend $80 to see.
I think there’s more to the story that they are not telling us. We have other phones with the same charge cycle that did not have this problem.
Really? I thought it was only after a certain level of battery wear. Is this true?
You are ignoring the threat to the iPhone from Google's Pixel. I was toying with the idea of switching, now I am strongly considering it. The only reason I didn't do it today is because I am waiting to see what Apple is going to do about my hobbled 6S.
AFAIK, there has been no clarification or findings from Apple or anyone else, that this throttling is indexed to some sort of battery degradation. All the discussion points so far have this pegged to an iOS upgrade..
If we're talking about replacing old batteries in an old, out of warranty, phone I'm sure why it would be an issue to use a third party to replace the battery. Pretty simple fix for an outdated product.
You're not going to find a stock Android device at an AT&T store. The only phones running stock Android are the Pixels, and they're only sold in Verizon stores. Every different Android manufacture makes modifications to their devices.
As for the topic at hand, I don't have an issue with Apple throttling phones. My issue is entirely with them hiding it from consumers and deny battery replacements.
For an out of warranty phone, sure, a third party repair wouldn't be a problem.
However, these phones are still being sold in stores. Straight Talk and Wal-Mart are still selling the 6 and the T-Mobile store I work at still has the 6S/6S+ and people are still buying them.
Searching forums only give you those who HAVE problems. And likely its due to their own issue or hardware issue.
There is NO reason for an older Samsung Galaxy phone to slow down if you have done the following.
1. Replaced your battery
2. Updated your OS
3. Keep it clean (no viruses and capacity issues)
4. No hardware issues.
NOTE 8 had battery issues (FIRE)
Why do you want software updates anyways?? What can your phone not do when compares to the phones a year newer? Its pretty much a wash, OS updates should make your phone more efficient. End of story.
I’m not ignoring anything. Based on past history it doesn’t seem Apple has to worry about mass-defections using the vociferous index of the fora as a guide.
That you are anyone else is considering alternatives is the way it should be.
Me I’m thinking about iPhone X.
The most logical solution for Apple is to implement a software slider in settings: Battery or processor priority.
If it is on the processor side the performance will improve, but battery will deplete faster. On the battery side the processor will underclock and perform slower; persevering battery life.
Apple can have a recommended setting (a default position for the bar, based on iPhone model) but user configurability will almost completely negate this lawsuit.
The only people that would have any legitimacy for a claim are those who replaced their phone because they felt it was too slow since (iOS 10.2.1) about a year ago.
It would still be a large numbers of plaintiffs (arguably myself as I upgraded to a new phone from the 6 in that timeline) but implementing a software slider would greatly reduce their exposure. Also remember it is iPhone 6 and later (I can’t imagine 5 and 5s weren’t affected as they were iOS 10 compatable) and being only a few models this also limits their exposure.
I am interested to see where this goes.
If it is on the processor side the performance will improve, but battery will deplete faster. On the battery side the processor will underclock and perform slower; persevering battery life.
Apple can have a recommended setting (a default position for the bar, based on iPhone model) but user configurability will almost completely negate this lawsuit.
The only people that would have any legitimacy for a claim are those who replaced their phone because they felt it was too slow since (iOS 10.2.1) about a year ago.
It would still be a large numbers of plaintiffs (arguably myself as I upgraded to a new phone from the 6 in that timeline) but implementing a software slider would greatly reduce their exposure. Also remember it is iPhone 6 and later (I can’t imagine 5 and 5s weren’t affected as they were iOS 10 compatable) and being only a few models this also limits their exposure.
I am interested to see where this goes.
I support this potential "solution" although it solves 0 battery technology issues or the inevitable need to have to replace a battery to maintain an optimal level of performance in any situation.
Better than exploding batteries or random phone crashes IMO.
Because if you dropped your phone and break your screen, apple will refuse to replace you screen if you have a third party battery in there. They will open your phone and see the battery, close it back up, bring it to you and say, sorry we cannot replace your screen because you had tampered with the battery. So you only option is a third party screen and they are awful and can be bricked by apple's updates. This policy includes out of warranty repairs. So that means, no genuine apple screen ever.
The whole issue for me is Apple not telling consumers. They knew the problem was out there, and there was ample coverage of it on news outlets and forums like MR. I can accept Apple doing it if they are up front. But to hide it is no bueno. Give us the option and let us decide.
Heck I updated two phones within 1 year. i can claim the phones were too slow and be a plantiff also. I think everybody can make a claim like that. Which is why a claim like that is a slippery slope.
This seems to be a pretty specific situation and comepletely different than my experience getting my outdated iPhone screen fixed.
I’m sure you have documentation for this although I don’t see why they would care about the battery if they’re fixing a screen.
I am guess their software wasn't perfect. I was on my iphone 6 after updating iOS11, two weeks later immediately running to iphone shutdown. Before updating iOS 11, it was normal use.
Simple, don't mess with people phone or let people decide if they want to use the feature.