Hoping to capitalize on Apple battery controversy, HTC and Motorola volunteer that they do...

Posted:
in iPhone
Bad publicity for Apple is a potential opportunity for competitors to gain ground, as seen with the iPhone battery controversy compelling HTC and Motorola to issue statements, saying they do not throttle performance on phones with older batteries.




Both companies responded to requests from The Verge, who asked in light of Apple's admission that it temporarily throttles performance on older devices with aging batteries.

Slowing down the CPU on older phones is "not something we do," an HTC spokesperson reportedly said. And a Motorola representative indicated: "We do not throttle CPU performance based on older batteries.

The publication also sought comment from Google, Samsung, LG and Sony, but definitive answers were not provided.

Considering all smartphone makers deal with the same limitations of battery capacity and lifespan, along with processor demands, it would not be surprising if some other major smartphone makers employ the same tactics as Apple.

Conversely, it is unclear whether those who do not throttle devices with older batteries have devices more prone to the kinds of random device shutdowns that Apple says its approach helps prevent.




Apple has said its software fix addresses issues with aging batteries, which are prone to random shutdowns when subjected to spikes in power usage. In a statement, the company referred to the slowdown as a "feature" that will "smooth out instantaneous peaks only when needed."

While Apple argues that the throttling keeps devices operational for longer, the admission has helped fueled a popular conspiracy theory that Apple intentionally slows down older iPhones to encourage customers to buy a new device. Tests have shown that older devices outfitted with a new battery --which Apple provides for $89 -- see their performance return to normal levels.

Fueled by those conspiracy theories, as well as users who are upset that Apple did not previously admit that it was throttling older devices, the company has been hit by a number of lawsuits.

This week, the company was even named in a criminal lawsuit in France, where planned obsolescence is illegal. It's unclear whether that complaint will actually make it to trial, however, as Apple's throttling as described is actually intended to keep devices working for longer periods of time, not shorter.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 52
    I asked this question in a previous article, but you would have to click the more comments to see it. Can people with the slowdown issue test this?.....What is the phone response like with the phone plugged in? It is still sluggish? I think that would be a problem for Apple if it is still sluggish as the battery limitation is bypassed.
    brakken
  • Reply 2 of 52
    foggyhillfoggyhill Posts: 4,767member
    Their phones is already crippled with low performance from the start and they barely support their phones. They do have the gall to talk.

    vt the time Apple phones slow down, their phones are likely dead or unusable
    dewmeMuntzesummersmagman1979RobPalmer9radarthekatgilly33redgeminipachiaanton zuykov
  • Reply 3 of 52
    Hey HTC and Motorola, guess what?  Your phones are still shit.
    Muntzking editor the gratemagman1979wlymRobPalmer9mknelsonradarthekatajlgilly33crosslad
  • Reply 4 of 52
    cpsrocpsro Posts: 3,192member
    They can't slow down based on battery age, because they have no idea how old the battery is. And why would they slow down an already slow processor? Just let the phone spontaneously crash, until the owner is informed (if ever) that a new battery (or a new phone!) will fix it.
    MuntzStrangeDaysesummersmagman1979RobPalmer9radarthekatredgeminipachiawatto_cobrajony0
  • Reply 5 of 52
    dws-2dws-2 Posts: 276member
    So the question is: Do the phones just randomly crash, or do other phones not have issues with high processor performance with older batteries?

    Muntz
  • Reply 6 of 52
    It has nothing to do with old batteries. I have a new replacement 5s due to my old one having a failed battery. This new phone was plenty fast under iOS 10... then iOS 11 came out shortly after I got the new phone. iOS 11 made it run S-L-O-W-L-Y. It seems Apple's solution to having shipped phones with defective batteries is to replace them with equally defective batteries, and throttle the phone's performance in an attempt to avoid new battery failures. Pretty lame.
  • Reply 7 of 52
    Apple has already explained their reasoning in doing this. Totally makes sense if one were to think about it critically. Batteries age and go bad. Replace them when it is needed! It is not a f'n conspiracy. Granted they should have ben more transparent about it, but that's how they operate.
    magman1979RobPalmer9redgeminipachiawatto_cobra
  • Reply 8 of 52
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,176member
    While only a single data point my wife's 2014 Moto X is still her daily device. The battery has obviously seen better days but AFAIK she doesn't suffer "random shutdowns".
    muthuk_vanalingam
  • Reply 9 of 52
    dewmedewme Posts: 5,335member
    I read the article but didn't see whether they actually asked the question:

    "Would you take preventive measures, up to and including temporarily reducing your device's CPU's clock frequency when battery demand exceeded battery supply, to prevent your customer's phones from crashing, knowing very well that crashing could result in the permanent loss of your customer's data?   Yes (  )   No (  )"

    Asking an open ended or theoretical question is a load of crap and total waste of time. Apple wasn't contemplating theoretical scenarios, they were dealing with a real, concrete problem that has very real and potentially damaging consequences.

    Whenever I've run software teams I've drilled into them the mantra that a customer's data is their money and we are responsible for safeguarding it to the best of our ability. Nothing less is acceptable. Apple isn't playing games here for the sake of people to spread their opinions via online forums. They are taking responsibility for their customer's money and livelihoods to the best of their ability.  Repeat - this is not a game. As Admiral Grace Hopper once said, there are times when it's better to ask for forgiveness than to ask for permission. Safeguarding customer data is one of those cases.  


    hypoluxamagman1979radarthekatchiawatto_cobrajony0
  • Reply 10 of 52
    Really once you buy a phone from HTC, thats it, no software upgrades or timely upgrades. Most upgrade OS for those phones don't even run on an older phone.
    racerhomie3MuntzwlymRobPalmer9radarthekatredgeminipachiawatto_cobrajony0
  • Reply 11 of 52
    They just dont update the phones. When your phone does get old , they let them randomly restart & shutdown while taking pictures, and receiving calls. I know this since I actually owned their crappy stuff. Never again. I will use an iPhone 2G before switching to their platforms.
    magman1979radarthekatgilly33chiawatto_cobra
  • Reply 12 of 52
    What bothers me is that if the slow down was due to battery degradation then why isn’t there a way to see when the battery should be replaced? I would still be using my iPhone 6 Plus if I’d have known the battery was causing my phone to become sluggish and painfully slow in certain situtations. If the software knew the battery was dying and throttled performance to maintain battery life then why could it not notify me to get the battery replaced?

     Instead I assumed iOS 11 updates had slowed it down and shortly after that my battery started only holding a charge for a few hours so I replaced it with an 8 Plus. After reading about this software throttling being linked to dying batteries I ordered a replacement and my 6 Plus was reborn! I use to get a ton of lag typing messages or switching apps. As soon as the battery was changed it preformed nearly as smoothly as my 8 Plus. Infact I gifted it to my girlfriend’s mother as it was better than the cheap android she had. 

    So I have no issue with Apple trying to conserve a dying battery by slowing down my phone but tell me that’s why and let me get it fixed! Don’t stay silent and let people assume they need a new phone or that Apple is trying to force people to upgrade. 
    hypoluxamuthuk_vanalingamgilly33redgeminipachiawatto_cobra
  • Reply 13 of 52
    Does anyone actually care what HTC or Motorola actually do these days? I mean how much of the phone market do they have anyway.
    gilly33brakkenwatto_cobra
  • Reply 14 of 52
    gatorguy said:
    While only a single data point my wife's 2014 Moto X is still her daily device. The battery has obviously seen better days but AFAIK she doesn't suffer "random shutdowns".
    My phone did. And it was slow. And it did not get ANY updates.
    magman1979watto_cobra
  • Reply 15 of 52
    It has nothing to do with old batteries. I have a new replacement 5s due to my old one having a failed battery. This new phone was plenty fast under iOS 10... then iOS 11 came out shortly after I got the new phone. iOS 11 made it run S-L-O-W-L-Y. It seems Apple's solution to having shipped phones with defective batteries is to replace them with equally defective batteries, and throttle the phone's performance in an attempt to avoid new battery failures. Pretty lame.
    Tell your friend to restore from iCloud or iTunes backup. I believe APFS convertion occurs then.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 16 of 52
    tifosi01 said:
    What bothers me is that if the slow down was due to battery degradation then why isn’t there a way to see when the battery should be replaced? I would still be using my iPhone 6 Plus if I’d have known the battery was causing my phone to become sluggish and painfully slow in certain situtations. If the software knew the battery was dying and throttled performance to maintain battery life then why could it not notify me to get the battery replaced?

     Instead I assumed iOS 11 updates had slowed it down and shortly after that my battery started only holding a charge for a few hours so I replaced it with an 8 Plus. After reading about this software throttling being linked to dying batteries I ordered a replacement and my 6 Plus was reborn! I use to get a ton of lag typing messages or switching apps. As soon as the battery was changed it preformed nearly as smoothly as my 8 Plus. Infact I gifted it to my girlfriend’s mother as it was better than the cheap android she had. 

    So I have no issue with Apple trying to conserve a dying battery by slowing down my phone but tell me that’s why and let me get it fixed! Don’t stay silent and let people assume they need a new phone or that Apple is trying to force people to upgrade. 
    It does inform you in the Battery section of Settings. If there was no warning, your phone just needed a restore from backup after updating to iOS 11.
    JFC_PAchiawatto_cobra
  • Reply 17 of 52
    BebeBebe Posts: 145member
    I had a feeling that sooner or later other manufacturers will capitalize on this debacle.  It didn't take long, LOL
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 18 of 52
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,176member
    LenardH said:
    Really once you buy a phone from HTC, thats it, no software upgrades or timely upgrades. Most upgrade OS for those phones don't even run on an older phone.
    Not at all accurate.
    http://www.htc.com/us/support/updates.aspx
    muthuk_vanalingam
  • Reply 19 of 52
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,176member
    gatorguy said:
    While only a single data point my wife's 2014 Moto X is still her daily device. The battery has obviously seen better days but AFAIK she doesn't suffer "random shutdowns".
    My phone did. And it was slow. And it did not get ANY updates.
    Odd if you had a 2014 Moto X that you didn't get "any updates". It prompted you to do so. How do I know? Because her phone is my old one and I rece'd at least two OS updates while I had it. As for "slow" my wife has not been complaining, but like most folks (probably IMHO) she uses it for Facebook, email, looking up recipes and such, occasional phone calls, messaging, a casual game here and there... None of that is particularly stressing. 
    muthuk_vanalingam
  • Reply 20 of 52
    Batteries get old? Imagine that. An old battery can make a device quit, shut off or work slower? Who knew? Whoever thinks that your device needs to be replaced because the battery failed must be replacing their cars every time the battery dies. Buy a new battery, they get old and stop working just like every other device that requires batteries. Are people making a big fuss when their car battery, flashlight, watch, drone etc dies due to an aging battery?
    StrangeDaysradarthekatRonnnieOgilly33chiabrakkenwatto_cobra
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