Apple Forced to Add Notice About iPhone Slowdown Saga on Italian Homepage

[chucker23n1]

They used to be replaceable for a long time, I think the main advantage of having them inside the phone and not replaceable is that it needs less space, normally the battery comparement it shielded of by plastic for instance, this is most likely already a mm think.

So it's just a typical case of apple using form over function...

No, it isn't.

A phone with a replaceable battery is significantly thicker, heavier, and more mechanically complicated. Thus, most people will find it not only less desirable; they'll also find that it's more prone to mechanical failure.

All that just to please a very small percentage of users who want more flexibility.

How hard would it really be to have a sliding back cover like the iPhone 4 had that gave you easy access to the battery?

No iPhone had access to the battery. No iPhone had a sliding back cover.

I'd gladly take a phone that's 2mm thicker if I could replace the battery freely... thin phones just feel slippery in the hand...

It's more than just thickness.

 

[aylk]

Again: They didn't slow down the phones. They adapted the speed peaks so that they would not exceed a degrading battery power, which would have resulted in a crash. But I understand that it's easier for the media to say "slow down"

You clearly don't own one of these phones...

 

[Defthand]

So you’d rather have your phone crash regularly instead of it slowing down? Everything you own likely has some fail safes in it.

Apple's solution wasn't a fail-safe. It was a band-aid. A fail-safe is meant to be a temporary intervention. When a fail-safe is triggered, you address the problem with the primary mechanism afterwards. In this example, you replace the deficient battery. Unfortunately, Apple's so-called fail-safe doesn't alert you that there's an issue. And Apple's service techs were equally uniformed. In fact, Apple didn't reveal their throttling band-aid to them either.

If your phone felt slow, go to Genius Bar and have them tell you your battery is bad.

Good luck with that. People, including myself, did that and were told our batteries were fine.

If something’s wrong you typically don’t just replace with new, you find out what’s wrong and determine best path forward for you.

According to your wisdom, you don't replace a phone because the battery is failing. You replace the battery. Unfortunately, Apple didn't advise anyone of that option.

Apple trying to allow people to use their phones with bad batteries is not malicious.

It is if they don't disclose that the issue exists, and profit from people's ignorance of the cause and its solution.

 

[baryon]

I have a brand new iPhone and one day a while ago I was working outside in -8ºC all day. It unexpectedly shut down due to the cold and automatically enabled low performance mode. My battery is in perfect condition by the way. If I didn't go and disable this feature manually, it would still be in low performance mode. Years later it would still be running slow and had I missed the notification, I would not know why. If I wasn't tech savvy, I would not have known that this mode can be disabled. It would have ruined a perfectly good phone just because it's stupid and doesn't get that the battery can sometimes perform poorly even if it's in great condition, and that's normal.

Maybe make the feature opt-in. Include a message that advises you to enable this mode, rather than enabling it automatically.

No one is going to buy a new iPhone just because it shut down once or twice. But if it runs slowly every single minute of every single day? That's quite a different experience.

 

[justperry]

No, it isn't.

A phone with a replaceable battery is significantly thicker, heavier, and more mechanically complicated. Thus, most people will find it not only less desirable; they'll also find that it's more prone to mechanical failure.

All that just to please a very small percentage of users who want more flexibility.



No iPhone had access to the battery. No iPhone had a sliding back cover.



It's more than just thickness.

Hmm, I am not sure why you quoted my post, I said basically the same, a replaceable battery will take more space.

 

[iBreatheApple]

You would never shorten the life of a product, but would you develop the device in such a way that restricted or limited long-term usability?

What is the life expectancy of a new, flagship iPhone, Apple?

 

[apolloa]

Aren’t many glitches? I literally 2 hours ago purchased a Pixel 2 XL that thing was buggy as hell right out of the box!

I used it (if you want to call it that for 30 minutes) that’s it now I am back on my ip7+

Attached a picture of the purchase with the date and time (AST) to show I am not “yanking your chain”

Should have bought a Note 9 as that would’ve worked better out the box!
Not sure if the Pixel slows down when the battery is reduced in capacity though?

 

[chucker23n1]

Hmm, I am not sure why you quoted my post, I said basically the same, a replaceable battery will take more space.

I had originally intended to respond to the statement: "I think the main advantage of having them inside the phone and not replaceable is that it needs less space", which is only part of it.

I didn't mean to take your quote out of context or disagree with it.

 

[Knight3]

Then why is it not user replaceable?

So it doesn't burn people's crotches like the Note 7 did.

 

[pat500000]

Apple is famous for excuses. Well played, apple sauce.

 

[LovingTeddy]

Really? So you’d rather have your phone crash regularly instead of it slowing down? Everything you own likely has some fail safes in it. Your car, etc that prevent it from taking a **** and work on reduced power when there’s a problem. If your phone felt slow, go to Genius Bar and have them tell you your battery is bad. Same way you go to a Dr or Mechenic. If something’s wrong you typically don’t just replace with new, you find out what’s wrong and determine best path forward for you. Am I happy Apple has the battery health section now? Yes, but all these whiny people over Apple trying to allow people to use their phones with bad batteries is not malicious. Now Apple knows it’s user base better and will over disclose the **** out of everything to please the minority.

For some reason... Apple fans never get the message. There were instants where genius bar employees were refusing service battery and suggest purchasing new phone. There was a gaint thread about this.

For some reason, Apple employee will refuse to replace battery if battery is above 80% capacity. Even if the cusomter insisted to pay for battery replacement, Apple store employee was refusing to service the phone.

So it is not about throttling the phone is bad, it is Apple never commuicate with its customer and its Store Employee. Some people were tricked to buy new phone when it was not necessary.
[doublepost=1549940681][/doublepost]

Yes, every device does this. Windows, Mac, whatever. It's been present in MacBooks where the CPU is heavily throttled if it doesn't detect a battery, or if the battery needs to be replaced urgently. We've known about this for decades, yet somehow it's different when it comes to phones or people think it's a sneaky "Tim Crook" feature.

I wish they did it with my iPhone 5S in its later life. Nothing worse than having a tethered battery life or a phone which dies at any given time so I don't even know if my Uber request in the freezing cold in the middle of nowhere went through.

Dangerous to write the truth around here though. It doesn't fit an anti-Apple narrative.

Are you sure every device does this? Becuase my ThinkPad does not throttle my CPU one I was on battery. CPU keeps running on stock speed and sometimes will jump to its Turbo speed as well.
[doublepost=1549941065][/doublepost]

No, it isn't.

A phone with a replaceable battery is significantly thicker, heavier, and more mechanically complicated. Thus, most people will find it not only less desirable; they'll also find that it's more prone to mechanical failure.

All that just to please a very small percentage of users who want more flexibility.



No iPhone had access to the battery. No iPhone had a sliding back cover.



It's more than just thickness.

No it wasn't. Most phones with replacable battery has removable back. It wasn't some mechical part that, it is basically some latches. You can open it with your fingernails.

iPhone 4 and 4S had sliding back cover before. All you need to do was unscrew two screws on the bottom of the phone and you literaly sliding the back cover. I remember old days, there was all kind of third party back panels with all kind of colours. Some people were changing their back covers with different colours.

 

[koruki]

Then why is it not user replaceable?

it is user replaceable or did you mean you want the back to slide open and swap it like all the new rival devices? /s

 

[C DM]

it is user replaceable or did you mean you want the back to slide open and swap it like all the new rival devices? /s

All the new rival devices?

 

[koruki]

For some reason... Apple fans never get the message. There were instants where genius bar employees were refusing service battery and suggest purchasing new phone. There was a gaint thread about this.

For some reason, Apple employee will refuse to replace battery if battery is above 80% capacity. Even if the cusomter insisted to pay for battery replacement, Apple store employee was refusing to service the phone.

So it is not about throttling the phone is bad, it is Apple never commuicate with its customer and its Store Employee. Some people were tricked to buy new phone when it was not necessary.
[doublepost=1549940681][/doublepost]

Are you sure every device does this? Becuase my ThinkPad does not throttle my CPU one I was on battery. CPU keeps running on stock speed and sometimes will jump to its Turbo speed as well.
[doublepost=1549941065][/doublepost]

No it wasn't. Most phones with replacable battery has removable back. It wasn't some mechical part that, it is basically some latches. You can open it with your fingernails.

iPhone 4 and 4S had sliding back cover before. All you need to do was unscrew two screws on the bottom of the phone and you literaly sliding the back cover. I remember old days, there was all kind of third party back panels with all kind of colours. Some people were changing their back covers with different colours.

I agree, although the new phones also have a two screw access system, they glue it down with some obnoxiously strong adhesive, there is no question on why that is. They could have used a light weigh adhesive if they just want the battery to not move around.

 

[LovingTeddy]

This is going to encourage Apple to only update the newest iPhone. They even provided an update to disable this. If they just stop providing updates, they will come out ahead. That's the message here. Android phones rarely get more than one major update and sell incredibly well. Most OEMs don't really care about fixing glitchy behaviors with their phones as well. Apple should follow their lead and stop fixing problems with older phones and only provide updates each year for last year's model. Then everyone will be happy and can stop complaining about all the free stuff they get. It's a win-win situation and everyone on MacRumors can chill. Looking forward to it.

I have my Android phone receiving the latest updates past 2 years. So not all Android phone OEMs are the same. You pick which. And you gets all the core apps, like Google services updated through Google Play Store. So it makes software version update less needed. Lots of my Android phones, OEM will provide updates to its own skined version. My old Xiaomi phone gets more than 4 years of updates. However, it was only to MiUI version not Android version (i believe only 2 Andorid version updates). MiUI updates fixed glitches for MIUI and brought new MiUI features to old phones.

So you can't say Android phones do not get updates.
[doublepost=1549941628][/doublepost]

I agree, although the new phones also have a two screw access system, they glue it down with some obnoxiously strong adhesive, there is no question on why that is. They could have used a light weigh adhesive if they just want the battery to not move around.

Because of water proofing. Although i have seen phones with higher IP rating with replaceable battery. I think for most part, Apple never wants you to disassemble the phone. Partly because of water proof and for most part, Apple wants you spend money on its store for fixing iPhone problems.

 

[ntlman]

I've posted this exercise before, but it appears we have a few apple-flavored kool aid drinkers on this thread, so cheers.

1. Why did Apple invent MagSafe? To address a real issue (tripped power cords can ruin your fancy premium, Apple product)
2. Was it a bad idea? Of course not.
3. Is your MacBook better off not having it? Of course not.
4. Do you think Steve Jobs would have removed it when Cook did? Not w/a non-breakaway USB-C port... SINCE THAT IS AN OBVIOUS AND PENNY-PINCHING DEGRADATION OF USER EXPERIENCE. NOT TO MENTION IT IS A SELF-SERVING ATTEMPT TO GOOSE GROWTH IN "SERVICES" BY INCREASING THE CHANCE YOUR MACBOOK'S POWER CORD GETS TRIPPED UP (THUS REQUIRING AN APPLE REPAIR FEE OR REPLACEMENT MACBOOK PURCHASE)

 

[0947347]

Because Apple is Green and environmentally friendly. There is no reason to throw that perfectly good phone with a bad battery away because it is slow and buy a new phone faster phone with a good battery.

But XR doesn’t come in green

 

[dilbert99]

Ahah cmon... this is a feature. Almost any device do that with a depleted battery, especially if the device is powerful. Workin in IT I see this kind of thing everyday in PC, Macs and other devices. Simply the iPhone doens’t turn off like all the others. Also slow down is not the right term, just less peak power.

Slow down is most certainly the correct term.
[doublepost=1549962082][/doublepost]

This question has been answered and the topic debated ad nauseam. The throttling does not occur all of the time, most users will not see any throttling, and those that do will not notice any perceptible performance decrease as a result of any throttling.

People noticed the slowdown and when the battery was replaced, they didn't need to upgrade their phones. Meaning Apple sold a lot less phones this year.

Rose glasses

 

[Steve121178]

The throttling does not occur all of the time, most users will not see any throttling, and those that do will not notice any perceptible performance decrease as a result of any throttling.

1000's of devices in my organisation with the slightest sign of battery degradation saw huge a performance decrease.

Apple knew what they were doing and got caught. They deserve every fine they get from this humiliating episode. However, money is nothing to Apple so the fines essentially mean nothing. What Apple will find a challenge is rebuilding their trust with millions of customers & money can't fix that.

 

[sofila]

If they only were that correct and straightforward in that country, if they are involved themselves...

Pointing at someone else is much easier though.

I come from that country and feel sure to behave correctly and "straightforward". I won't even ask you which country are you from.
[doublepost=1549971420][/doublepost]

Yes, every device does this. Windows, Mac, whatever. It's been present in MacBooks where the CPU is heavily throttled if it doesn't detect a battery, or if the battery needs to be replaced urgently. We've known about this for decades, yet somehow it's different when it comes to phones or people think it's a sneaky "Tim Crook" feature.

I wish they did it with my iPhone 5S in its later life. Nothing worse than having a tethered battery life or a phone which dies at any given time so I don't even know if my Uber request in the freezing cold in the middle of nowhere went through.

Dangerous to write the truth around here though. It doesn't fit an anti-Apple narrative.

may want to read this, though already widely discussed in former topics

 

[chucker23n1]

iPhone 4 and 4S had sliding back cover before.

This is a sliding back cover.

All you need to do was unscrew two screws on the bottom of the phone and you literaly sliding the back cover.

No, what you had was a warranty violation.

It doesn't matter that it used to be easier to exchange the battery on an iPhone; no shipping iPhone ever had a user-replaceable battery.

I remember old days, there was all kind of third party back panels with all kind of colours. Some people were changing their back covers with different colours.

They did indeed, but you're thinking of a 1990s Nokia phone, not an iPhone.

 

[axantas]

I come from that country and feel sure to behave correctly and "straightforward". I won't even ask you which country are you from.
[doublepost=1549971420][/doublepost]
may want to read this, though already widely discussed in former topics

...not too far away. Svizzera per essere più preciso.

 

[ntlman]

But XR doesn’t come in green

If Apple were truly green, and not just committed to green-marketing, they would not make a computer where the speakers, keyboard, trackpad and battery were all glued together and require the disposal of the other 3 perfectly good components if one goes bad.

 

[TracesOfArsenic]

Should have asked for permission instead of forgiveness.

Thing is, they weren't planning on being discovered.

 

[0947347]

Then why is it not user replaceable?

I have replaced battery last year and I am a user go figure.

Do you people know, what is the difference between “non replaceable” and “pain in the ar*e to replace by yourself”?

If you do honestly not know, that would be a sad state of affair.
It’s not like if the battery goes bad, they throw the phone and the battery on the skip.