In actual fact this phenomenon flat out proves that, in practice, older iPhone hardware really is deliberately underclocked and slowed down by software. So actually those conspiracy theorists weren’t imagining it - they were onto something.
Yeah, but not what they wanted to prove. You're moving the goalposts of the argument. Apple doesn't throttle the phones to get you to buy a new phone.
All that was proven here is that batteries age, and that there are effects of that.
I guess the question is, which is better -- no phone because Apple shuts it down because of battery performance, or a slower one.
I’m not moving any goalposts, the conspiracy theory was that Apple were deliberately slowing down older phones and that’s literally what has been proven to be happening. The battery is an integral component of the phone and as its chemistry ages the phone is programmed to slow down. Those are the facts as we now know them.
Whether Apple’s motivation is purely to save people from the inconvenience of battery shutdowns (which we’re expected to accept can’t be avoided any other way), or to encourage people to upgrade their phones, or maybe a little bit of both - THAT is unknown. It’s unknown because Apple have made no attempt to explain themselves or be up front about this “feature”. And that in itself is highly suspect.
No.
The conspiracy was that Apple was intentionally slowing down their old phones inducing forced obsolescence, to make you buy a new phone.
That's clearly not what's going on, as a battery 1/5th to 1/10th the cost of a new phone fixes the issue.. Funny thing about conspiracy theories -- just because one aspect of the theory is accurate, doesn't mean the whole thing is. But, with one accuracy, there are a great number of people who think that the conspiracy is true.
You are right that Apple's not talking, though. But, that's not abnormal for them.
It’s useful to know that performance issues may be cause by the battery. Currently I would need to go to the Apple Store to have them run a diagnostic.
I’d appreciate it if Apple created an app for that. Hardware issues as devices age are to be expected (especially batteries). Rather than deal with issues and have no way to diagnose them, and unable to turn to third parties due to the “walled garden” it’s time for APPLE to step up and create/provide it for end users. (It already exists for Apple employees)
I'd like this as well. But, as there is no service guidance to replace the battery in the case of a slow phone, I'm not certain that beyond "old and tired" that there's an app beyond a benchmark to see.
So Apple knew they had a very large number of defective batteries, so instead of replacing them (that would actually cost them MONEY) they just updated iOS to downclock the CPU to avoid low-voltage shutdowns.
Just brilliant, huh?
In actual fact this phenomenon flat out proves that, in practice, older iPhone hardware really is deliberately underclocked and slowed down by software. So actually those conspiracy theorists weren’t imagining it - they were onto something.
Yeah, but not what they wanted to prove. You're moving the goalposts of the argument. Apple doesn't throttle the phones to get you to buy a new phone.
All that was proven here is that batteries age, and that there are effects of that.
I guess the question is, which is better -- no phone because Apple shuts it down because of battery performance, or a slower one.
I’m not moving any goalposts, the conspiracy theory was that Apple were deliberately slowing down older phones and that’s literally what has been proven to be happening. The battery is an integral component of the phone and as its chemistry ages the phone is programmed to slow down. Those are the facts as we now know them.
“literally proven”? by whom? where has this been confirmed as fact?
I have a 6+ and experienced the "random shut down issue": The phone would have a 30% charge but as soon as I started a video it would drop to less than 10% and then shut down. It would reboot on a charger. I had the battery replaced with a third party battery and the phone seemed to work just fine after that.
Or, rather it did until OS 11.0 where both the battery drained very quickly and the keyboard had a significant lag. Also, loading a spreadsheet in Numbers was noticeably slower. Things have gradually improved since then and now the phone is running 11.2 and things are mostly back to where they were -- but not quite. It still, occasionally seems to run a bit slower loading spreadsheets and apps.
But, it no longer seems like I need to purchase a new phone. It is slower than it was, but its not terribly so. I suspect that it is just an older phone trying to deal with a newer OS with (I would imagine) increased memory & processor demands...
I guess I'm gonna assume your 6S wasn't covered under the replacement program...otherwise I find it silly to not just take it into Apple and have it fixed under the battery replacement program. Takes about an hour to do. I had it done with my 6S along with a home button replacement (replaced the top screen) and the entire repair took about an hour and half and I was set with no money out of pocket.
It was/is a 6+ not a 6S. And, the battery lasted two years. That's pretty much normal use and certainly not a case for a warranty replacement.
Actually, from what I saw, the battery wasn't the problem but the battery monitor that dropped from 30% to 5% then zero within minutes when the phone was put under load. Then as soon as it was restarted with a charger, the % jumped back up to 30% immediately as the phone restarted. So, it was the power monitor telling the phone that the battery was dead when it still had 30% charge. Or, perhaps the monitor was saying it had 30% when it had 5%? Either, replacing the 2 year old battery fixed the problem.
In actual fact this phenomenon flat out proves that, in practice, older iPhone hardware really is deliberately underclocked and slowed down by software. So actually those conspiracy theorists weren’t imagining it - they were onto something.
Yeah, but not what they wanted to prove. You're moving the goalposts of the argument. Apple doesn't throttle the phones to get you to buy a new phone.
All that was proven here is that batteries age, and that there are effects of that.
I guess the question is, which is better -- no phone because Apple shuts it down because of battery performance, or a slower one.
I’m not moving any goalposts, the conspiracy theory was that Apple were deliberately slowing down older phones and that’s literally what has been proven to be happening. The battery is an integral component of the phone and as its chemistry ages the phone is programmed to slow down. Those are the facts as we now know them.
Whether Apple’s motivation is purely to save people from the inconvenience of battery shutdowns (which we’re expected to accept can’t be avoided any other way), or to encourage people to upgrade their phones, or maybe a little bit of both - THAT is unknown. It’s unknown because Apple have made no attempt to explain themselves or be up front about this “feature”. And that in itself is highly suspect.
No.
The conspiracy was that Apple was intentionally slowing down their old phones inducing forced obsolescence, to make you buy a new phone.
That's clearly not what's going on, as a battery 1/5th to 1/10th the cost of a new phone fixes the issue.. Funny thing about conspiracy theories -- just because one aspect of the theory is accurate, doesn't mean the whole thing is. But, with one accuracy, there are a great number of people who think that the conspiracy is true.
You are right that Apple's not talking, though. But, that's not abnormal for them.
You say “that’s clearly not what’s going on” because replacing the battery will cure the issue. Which is all well and good except, again, were it not for some detective work by affected reddit posters NOBODY would know this was anything to do with the battery, let alone that replacing it would cure anything. Even now Apple haven’t confirmed or commented on that, and as your article states, battery state is not on the list of things for Geniuses to check when presented with a poorly performing phone.
Up till now, in practice, the effect of this software “feature” has been to slow down old phones and - inevitably - cause a number of people to replace those poor performing phones, completely unaware that there was any cheaper option. Outside of places like here and Reddit, people will *still* be doing that - and nobody in the Apple store will be advising them to replace the battery instead, will they?
In actual fact this phenomenon flat out proves that, in practice, older iPhone hardware really is deliberately underclocked and slowed down by software. So actually those conspiracy theorists weren’t imagining it - they were onto something.
Yeah, but not what they wanted to prove. You're moving the goalposts of the argument. Apple doesn't throttle the phones to get you to buy a new phone.
All that was proven here is that batteries age, and that there are effects of that.
I guess the question is, which is better -- no phone because Apple shuts it down because of battery performance, or a slower one.
I’m not moving any goalposts, the conspiracy theory was that Apple were deliberately slowing down older phones and that’s literally what has been proven to be happening. The battery is an integral component of the phone and as its chemistry ages the phone is programmed to slow down. Those are the facts as we now know them.
Whether Apple’s motivation is purely to save people from the inconvenience of battery shutdowns (which we’re expected to accept can’t be avoided any other way), or to encourage people to upgrade their phones, or maybe a little bit of both - THAT is unknown. It’s unknown because Apple have made no attempt to explain themselves or be up front about this “feature”. And that in itself is highly suspect.
No.
The conspiracy was that Apple was intentionally slowing down their old phones inducing forced obsolescence, to make you buy a new phone.
That's clearly not what's going on, as a battery 1/5th to 1/10th the cost of a new phone fixes the issue.. Funny thing about conspiracy theories -- just because one aspect of the theory is accurate, doesn't mean the whole thing is. But, with one accuracy, there are a great number of people who think that the conspiracy is true.
You are right that Apple's not talking, though. But, that's not abnormal for them.
You say “that’s clearly not what’s going on” because replacing the battery will cure the issue. Which is all well and good except, again, were it not for some detective work by affected reddit posters NOBODY would know this was anything to do with the battery, let alone that replacing it would cure anything. Even now Apple haven’t confirmed or commented on that, and as your article states, battery state is not on the list of things for Geniuses to check when presented with a poorly performing phone.
Up till now, in practice, the effect of this software “feature” has been to slow down old phones and - inevitably - cause a number of people to replace those poor performing phones, completely unaware that there was any cheaper option. Outside of places like here and Reddit, people will *still* be doing that - and nobody in the Apple store will be advising them to replace the battery instead, will they?
Well, no... You're taking some isolated "facts", tying them together with bailing wire and chewing gum and claiming your conclusion is the only possible conclusion. You would make a good politician or lawyer.
First, we do not know if Apple slowed the phones down. As the article very clearly states, that is a controversial assumption at best.
But, for the sake of argument, let's assume that they did. I would say, from my personal experience with the problem: "Good Job Guys! Thank You!". I say that because, when the 2 year old battery in my 6+ got down to about 30%, within minutes of it being put under load (such as a video) the charge indicator would drop to (near) zero and the phone would shut down . And, the phone could not be restarted until it was put on a charger -- at which time the charge indicator would pop straight up from 0% to 30%.
This was irritating when it happened at home. But, when it happened out in the middle of nowhere and I needed a phone, it was potentially dangerous. So, I was assuming that I was going to have to buy a new phone because of the problem (I rely on that phone to work when I need it to), So, from my perspective, your argument that Apple is pushing people to buy new phones is bogus: I can live with a phone that's a little slow. I can't live with one that I can't depend on to be there when I need it. The truth is the exact opposite or your allegation.
When I took it to the Apple Store their test showed the battery was still OK, but right on the line of needing replaced. They told me replacing the battery would fix the problem. I was skeptical -- I thought she was throwing darts at the problem. But, she was correct.
So, assuming that Apple did slow phones down when a battery got weak, this is to me, a moot point: the battery needs replacing anyway and plus, they resolved a potentially dangerous situation where somebody could be caught needing to call for help but their phone is prematurely shut down making it impossible to call until they could charge the phone.
In actual fact this phenomenon flat out proves that, in practice, older iPhone hardware really is deliberately underclocked and slowed down by software. So actually those conspiracy theorists weren’t imagining it - they were onto something.
Yeah, but not what they wanted to prove. You're moving the goalposts of the argument. Apple doesn't throttle the phones to get you to buy a new phone.
All that was proven here is that batteries age, and that there are effects of that.
I guess the question is, which is better -- no phone because Apple shuts it down because of battery performance, or a slower one.
I’m not moving any goalposts, the conspiracy theory was that Apple were deliberately slowing down older phones and that’s literally what has been proven to be happening. The battery is an integral component of the phone and as its chemistry ages the phone is programmed to slow down. Those are the facts as we now know them.
Whether Apple’s motivation is purely to save people from the inconvenience of battery shutdowns (which we’re expected to accept can’t be avoided any other way), or to encourage people to upgrade their phones, or maybe a little bit of both - THAT is unknown. It’s unknown because Apple have made no attempt to explain themselves or be up front about this “feature”. And that in itself is highly suspect.
No.
The conspiracy was that Apple was intentionally slowing down their old phones inducing forced obsolescence, to make you buy a new phone.
That's clearly not what's going on, as a battery 1/5th to 1/10th the cost of a new phone fixes the issue.. Funny thing about conspiracy theories -- just because one aspect of the theory is accurate, doesn't mean the whole thing is. But, with one accuracy, there are a great number of people who think that the conspiracy is true.
You are right that Apple's not talking, though. But, that's not abnormal for them.
You say “that’s clearly not what’s going on” because replacing the battery will cure the issue. Which is all well and good except, again, were it not for some detective work by affected reddit posters NOBODY would know this was anything to do with the battery, let alone that replacing it would cure anything. Even now Apple haven’t confirmed or commented on that, and as your article states, battery state is not on the list of things for Geniuses to check when presented with a poorly performing phone.
Up till now, in practice, the effect of this software “feature” has been to slow down old phones and - inevitably - cause a number of people to replace those poor performing phones, completely unaware that there was any cheaper option. Outside of places like here and Reddit, people will *still* be doing that - and nobody in the Apple store will be advising them to replace the battery instead, will they?
Well, no... You're taking some isolated "facts", tying them together with bailing wire and chewing gum and claiming your conclusion is the only possible conclusion. You would make a good politician or lawyer.
First, we do not know if Apple slowed the phones down. As the article very clearly states, that is a controversial assumption at best.
But, for the sake of argument, let's assume that they did. I would say, from my personal experience with the problem: "Good Job Guys! Thank You!". I say that because, when the 2 year old battery in my 6+ got down to about 30%, within minutes of it being put under load (such as a video) the charge indicator would drop to (near) zero and the phone would shut down . And, the phone could not be restarted until it was put on a charger -- at which time the charge indicator would pop straight up from 0% to 30%.
This was irritating when it happened at home. But, when it happened out in the middle of nowhere and I needed a phone, it was potentially dangerous. So, I was assuming that I was going to have to buy a new phone because of the problem (I rely on that phone to work when I need it to), So, from my perspective, your argument that Apple is pushing people to buy new phones is bogus: I can live with a phone that's a little slow. I can't live with one that I can't depend on to be there when I need it. The truth is the exact opposite or your allegation.
When I took it to the Apple Store their test showed the battery was still OK, but right on the line of needing replaced. They told me replacing the battery would fix the problem. I was skeptical -- I thought she was throwing darts at the problem. But, she was correct.
So, assuming that Apple did slow phones down when a battery got weak, this is to me, a moot point: the battery needs replacing anyway and plus, they resolved a potentially dangerous situation where somebody could be caught needing to call for help but their phone is prematurely shut down making it impossible to call until they could charge the phone.
Nope. Firstly I’m hardly making this up, there are hundreds of posts on this on reddit and elsewhere and a huge body of evidence that there is this correlation between battery state and clock speed, and that this was introduced with a specific iOS update.
Secondly, I’m well aware of the battery issue you’re talking about - I had the same with my 6S after about 18 months. In that instance Apple publically admitted there was a problem with 6S batteries and issued a battery replacement programme. And that’s just it - as you yourself discovered, the fix for that problem is a new battery. It’s the battery which is at fault in that situation, not the performance or the clock speed of the phone. So to silently manipulate the processor speed in order to completely obfuscate any problem with the battery is at best unhelpful, and at worst flat out dishonest. Even if you don’t buy into the conspiracy theory about planned obsolescence, it seems pretty clear that this software tweak was designed to keep a lid on what’s likely to have been an even wider battery problem affecting the 6 as well.
If Apple had been working in good faith here as you suggest, then there should at the very least have been some user level indication that these phones had gone into “limp mode” and required replacement batteries. The fact is there is absolutely no battery health indication in iOS, and Apple’s other updates to iOS have only made it harder for third party apps to do this with any accuracy either.
In 2011 I bought the fastest computer Apple offered. It seemed fast.
The computers made in the next few years were even faster. Mine started to feel slower by comparison.
With newer computers came software intended for faster hardware. Installing those updates made my computer seem even slower.
I've been going with the assumption that this is what's happening when people complain about their phones slowing down over time. My gut feeling is with the original software the vast majority of them are still just as fast as they were on Day 1, but comparison to newer devices makes them SEEM slow, and updates to software that does more and puts more stress on the phone is the primary cause of any actual slowdowns.
In 2011 I bought the fastest computer Apple offered. It seemed fast.
The computers made in the next few years were even faster. Mine started to feel slower by comparison.
With newer computers came software intended for faster hardware. Installing those updates made my computer seem even slower.
I've been going with the assumption that this is what's happening when people complain about their phones slowing down over time. My gut feeling is with the original software the vast majority of them are still just as fast as they were on Day 1, but comparison to newer devices makes them SEEM slow, and updates to software that does more and puts more stress on the phone is the primary cause of any actual slowdowns.
You can go with that assumption if you like, but it doesn’t begin to explain why people are able to empirically prove that their older phones are slower than they should be using recognised benchmarks, and then become faster and benchmark higher again after battery replacement, which is what this article is actually about.
1. It isn't just 6s, it is 6 , 6s and 7. iPhone 7 being rare because its battery hasn't rare out for much of the user yet. And of course 8 and X isn't there because those aren't wearing out either.
2. It is not a feeling of system slow down or what, It is Geekbench, actual numbers from CPU number crushing. Which the article failed to mention.
3. The theory here isn't just preventing random shutdown. It is Apple intentionally downclock CPU in relation to Battery Cycles, this has been tested that voltage and direct cable plugged in does not change the result of Geekbench, but replacement of battery does.
4. Some said what Apple doing is in user's best interest, to have the same level of battery life as the battery degrade. THIS IS PURE NONSENSE. What we are seeing here, is CPU being down clocked by as much as 40%, when your battery capacity reduce by 20%, and your CPU represent at maximum 30% of battery usage, most of it are Display and Network Connection. Do the maths yourself, this is pure FUD.
5. The same is also on the Macbook as well, i.e Your Macbook will slow if your battery is dead.
In actual fact this phenomenon flat out proves that, in practice, older iPhone hardware really is deliberately underclocked and slowed down by software. So actually those conspiracy theorists weren’t imagining it - they were onto something.
Yeah, but not what they wanted to prove. You're moving the goalposts of the argument. Apple doesn't throttle the phones to get you to buy a new phone.
All that was proven here is that batteries age, and that there are effects of that.
I guess the question is, which is better -- no phone because Apple shuts it down because of battery performance, or a slower one.
I’m not moving any goalposts, the conspiracy theory was that Apple were deliberately slowing down older phones and that’s literally what has been proven to be happening. The battery is an integral component of the phone and as its chemistry ages the phone is programmed to slow down. Those are the facts as we now know them.
Whether Apple’s motivation is purely to save people from the inconvenience of battery shutdowns (which we’re expected to accept can’t be avoided any other way), or to encourage people to upgrade their phones, or maybe a little bit of both - THAT is unknown. It’s unknown because Apple have made no attempt to explain themselves or be up front about this “feature”. And that in itself is highly suspect.
No.
The conspiracy was that Apple was intentionally slowing down their old phones inducing forced obsolescence, to make you buy a new phone.
That's clearly not what's going on, as a battery 1/5th to 1/10th the cost of a new phone fixes the issue.. Funny thing about conspiracy theories -- just because one aspect of the theory is accurate, doesn't mean the whole thing is. But, with one accuracy, there are a great number of people who think that the conspiracy is true.
You are right that Apple's not talking, though. But, that's not abnormal for them.
You say “that’s clearly not what’s going on” because replacing the battery will cure the issue. Which is all well and good except, again, were it not for some detective work by affected reddit posters NOBODY would know this was anything to do with the battery, let alone that replacing it would cure anything. Even now Apple haven’t confirmed or commented on that, and as your article states, battery state is not on the list of things for Geniuses to check when presented with a poorly performing phone.
Up till now, in practice, the effect of this software “feature” has been to slow down old phones and - inevitably - cause a number of people to replace those poor performing phones, completely unaware that there was any cheaper option. Outside of places like here and Reddit, people will *still* be doing that - and nobody in the Apple store will be advising them to replace the battery instead, will they?
Well, no... You're taking some isolated "facts", tying them together with bailing wire and chewing gum and claiming your conclusion is the only possible conclusion. You would make a good politician or lawyer.
First, we do not know if Apple slowed the phones down. As the article very clearly states, that is a controversial assumption at best.
But, for the sake of argument, let's assume that they did. I would say, from my personal experience with the problem: "Good Job Guys! Thank You!". I say that because, when the 2 year old battery in my 6+ got down to about 30%, within minutes of it being put under load (such as a video) the charge indicator would drop to (near) zero and the phone would shut down . And, the phone could not be restarted until it was put on a charger -- at which time the charge indicator would pop straight up from 0% to 30%.
This was irritating when it happened at home. But, when it happened out in the middle of nowhere and I needed a phone, it was potentially dangerous. So, I was assuming that I was going to have to buy a new phone because of the problem (I rely on that phone to work when I need it to), So, from my perspective, your argument that Apple is pushing people to buy new phones is bogus: I can live with a phone that's a little slow. I can't live with one that I can't depend on to be there when I need it. The truth is the exact opposite or your allegation.
When I took it to the Apple Store their test showed the battery was still OK, but right on the line of needing replaced. They told me replacing the battery would fix the problem. I was skeptical -- I thought she was throwing darts at the problem. But, she was correct.
So, assuming that Apple did slow phones down when a battery got weak, this is to me, a moot point: the battery needs replacing anyway and plus, they resolved a potentially dangerous situation where somebody could be caught needing to call for help but their phone is prematurely shut down making it impossible to call until they could charge the phone.
Nope. Firstly I’m hardly making this up, there are hundreds of posts on this on reddit and elsewhere and a huge body of evidence that there is this correlation between battery state and clock speed, and that this was introduced with a specific iOS update.
Secondly, I’m well aware of the battery issue you’re talking about - I had the same with my 6S after about 18 months. In that instance Apple publically admitted there was a problem with 6S batteries and issued a battery replacement programme. And that’s just it - as you yourself discovered, the fix for that problem is a new battery. It’s the battery which is at fault in that situation, not the performance or the clock speed of the phone. So to silently manipulate the processor speed in order to completely obfuscate any problem with the battery is at best unhelpful, and at worst flat out dishonest. Even if you don’t buy into the conspiracy theory about planned obsolescence, it seems pretty clear that this software tweak was designed to keep a lid on what’s likely to have been an even wider battery problem affecting the 6 as well.
If Apple had been working in good faith here as you suggest, then there should at the very least have been some user level indication that these phones had gone into “limp mode” and required replacement batteries. The fact is there is absolutely no battery health indication in iOS, and Apple’s other updates to iOS have only made it harder for third party apps to do this with any accuracy either.
Did you even read what I posted? Or, are you so stuck on trying to criticize Apple that facts don't matter?
In 2011 I bought the fastest computer Apple offered. It seemed fast.
The computers made in the next few years were even faster. Mine started to feel slower by comparison.
With newer computers came software intended for faster hardware. Installing those updates made my computer seem even slower.
I've been going with the assumption that this is what's happening when people complain about their phones slowing down over time. My gut feeling is with the original software the vast majority of them are still just as fast as they were on Day 1, but comparison to newer devices makes them SEEM slow, and updates to software that does more and puts more stress on the phone is the primary cause of any actual slowdowns.
Yes, in part... But too, software (both applications and OS's) evolve each year to become more demanding of both CPU and memory capacity as well as speeds. So, IF you kept it running the same software year over year, it probably would run pretty much the same as new -- but most people don't.
In addition, the newer and faster SSD type storage tends to break down and wear out over time and, as I understand it, actually get slower...
1. It isn't just 6s, it is 6 , 6s and 7. iPhone 7 being rare because its battery hasn't rare out for much of the user yet. And of course 8 and X isn't there because those aren't wearing out either.
2. It is not a feeling of system slow down or what, It is Geekbench, actual numbers from CPU number crushing. Which the article failed to mention.
3. The theory here isn't just preventing random shutdown. It is Apple intentionally downclock CPU in relation to Battery Cycles, this has been tested that voltage and direct cable plugged in does not change the result of Geekbench, but replacement of battery does.
4. Some said what Apple doing is in user's best interest, to have the same level of battery life as the battery degrade. THIS IS PURE NONSENSE. What we are seeing here, is CPU being down clocked by as much as 40%, when your battery capacity reduce by 20%, and your CPU represent at maximum 30% of battery usage, most of it are Display and Network Connection. Do the maths yourself, this is pure FUD.
5. The same is also on the Macbook as well, i.e Your Macbook will slow if your battery is dead.
"The theory here isn't just preventing random shutdown" ... I love good conspiracy theories. Especially when you have to make parts of it up in order to make it juicy.
Sorry, but random. unpredictable shutdowns were a problem. And since the phone could not be used again until charged, it was a potentially serious, life threatening problem. Thank you Apple for taking care of that!
In 2011 I bought the fastest computer Apple offered. It seemed fast.
The computers made in the next few years were even faster. Mine started to feel slower by comparison.
With newer computers came software intended for faster hardware. Installing those updates made my computer seem even slower.
I've been going with the assumption that this is what's happening when people complain about their phones slowing down over time. My gut feeling is with the original software the vast majority of them are still just as fast as they were on Day 1, but comparison to newer devices makes them SEEM slow, and updates to software that does more and puts more stress on the phone is the primary cause of any actual slowdowns.
You can go with that assumption if you like, but it doesn’t begin to explain why people are able to empirically prove that their older phones are slower than they should be using recognised benchmarks, and then become faster and benchmark higher again after battery replacement, which is what this article is actually about.
With respect, that's not how I read it.
From the article:
"...the slow-down and consequent speed-up isn't universal, and there may be other factors at work."
"...While there is no universal improvement in benchmarks after a replacement, some additional users did confirm that their devices felt faster after a replacement.
Confusing the issue somewhat, some users with replacements at a Genius Bar saw no improvements. Additionally, users with third-party batteries sourced from unknown vendors also saw no improvements."
It appears that the empirical evidence is inconsistent. That makes me wonder if the improvement after battery replacement is real or just perceived. Just like how a software update makes one iPhone user think it feels slower while another user with the same phone says it's snappier. It could be that use patterns affect the result, but it could also just be placebo effect or confirmation bias at work.
I obviously don't know for sure one way or the other, but I'd want to see some objective analysis with proper controls before dismissing the possibility of human misperception.
Lucky you, my local Apple store (3 hour round trip) said it had to be booked in and had to be left with them at least 24hours which meant either a hotel stay for me or 6 hours of driving and a weekend lost to get it sorted. I gave up and eBay'd my 6S. Currently struggling by on a 5S awaiting a new 4" model in Spring 2018.
Interesting. I did experience this phenomenon after updating iOS on my older iPhone (6). Keystroke lag was particularly irritating. It is three years old and so the battery is past any reasonable expectation. I put it in a battery case (the original case was also going), which gave me enough up time. The newer problem led me to replace the battery and functionality has been restored. Overall, I don't think it's a bad thing for software to compensate for a battery that should be replaced.
I have a 6S that recently had the battery replaced free at the Apple store because it was covered by the program, but the only problem I had with it was how long a charge lasted. It might feel a little snappier now, but since 11.2 it started occasionally freezing or rebooting. When it turns back on again it briefly displayed the battery as being at 1% before showing it was at 100%. Wish I knew whether that was a hardware or a software problem…
Comments
Actually, from what I saw, the battery wasn't the problem but the battery monitor that dropped from 30% to 5% then zero within minutes when the phone was put under load. Then as soon as it was restarted with a charger, the % jumped back up to 30% immediately as the phone restarted. So, it was the power monitor telling the phone that the battery was dead when it still had 30% charge. Or, perhaps the monitor was saying it had 30% when it had 5%? Either, replacing the 2 year old battery fixed the problem.
Up till now, in practice, the effect of this software “feature” has been to slow down old phones and - inevitably - cause a number of people to replace those poor performing phones, completely unaware that there was any cheaper option. Outside of places like here and Reddit, people will *still* be doing that - and nobody in the Apple store will be advising them to replace the battery instead, will they?
First, we do not know if Apple slowed the phones down. As the article very clearly states, that is a controversial assumption at best.
But, for the sake of argument, let's assume that they did. I would say, from my personal experience with the problem: "Good Job Guys! Thank You!". I say that because, when the 2 year old battery in my 6+ got down to about 30%, within minutes of it being put under load (such as a video) the charge indicator would drop to (near) zero and the phone would shut down . And, the phone could not be restarted until it was put on a charger -- at which time the charge indicator would pop straight up from 0% to 30%.
This was irritating when it happened at home. But, when it happened out in the middle of nowhere and I needed a phone, it was potentially dangerous. So, I was assuming that I was going to have to buy a new phone because of the problem (I rely on that phone to work when I need it to), So, from my perspective, your argument that Apple is pushing people to buy new phones is bogus: I can live with a phone that's a little slow. I can't live with one that I can't depend on to be there when I need it. The truth is the exact opposite or your allegation.
When I took it to the Apple Store their test showed the battery was still OK, but right on the line of needing replaced. They told me replacing the battery would fix the problem. I was skeptical -- I thought she was throwing darts at the problem. But, she was correct.
So, assuming that Apple did slow phones down when a battery got weak, this is to me, a moot point: the battery needs replacing anyway and plus, they resolved a potentially dangerous situation where somebody could be caught needing to call for help but their phone is prematurely shut down making it impossible to call until they could charge the phone.
Secondly, I’m well aware of the battery issue you’re talking about - I had the same with my 6S after about 18 months. In that instance Apple publically admitted there was a problem with 6S batteries and issued a battery replacement programme. And that’s just it - as you yourself discovered, the fix for that problem is a new battery. It’s the battery which is at fault in that situation, not the performance or the clock speed of the phone. So to silently manipulate the processor speed in order to completely obfuscate any problem with the battery is at best unhelpful, and at worst flat out dishonest. Even if you don’t buy into the conspiracy theory about planned obsolescence, it seems pretty clear that this software tweak was designed to keep a lid on what’s likely to have been an even wider battery problem affecting the 6 as well.
If Apple had been working in good faith here as you suggest, then there should at the very least have been some user level indication that these phones had gone into “limp mode” and required replacement batteries. The fact is there is absolutely no battery health indication in iOS, and Apple’s other updates to iOS have only made it harder for third party apps to do this with any accuracy either.
The computers made in the next few years were even faster. Mine started to feel slower by comparison.
With newer computers came software intended for faster hardware. Installing those updates made my computer seem even slower.
I've been going with the assumption that this is what's happening when people complain about their phones slowing down over time. My gut feeling is with the original software the vast majority of them are still just as fast as they were on Day 1, but comparison to newer devices makes them SEEM slow, and updates to software that does more and puts more stress on the phone is the primary cause of any actual slowdowns.
1. It isn't just 6s, it is 6 , 6s and 7. iPhone 7 being rare because its battery hasn't rare out for much of the user yet. And of course 8 and X isn't there because those aren't wearing out either.
2. It is not a feeling of system slow down or what, It is Geekbench, actual numbers from CPU number crushing. Which the article failed to mention.
3. The theory here isn't just preventing random shutdown. It is Apple intentionally downclock CPU in relation to Battery Cycles, this has been tested that voltage and direct cable plugged in does not change the result of Geekbench, but replacement of battery does.
4. Some said what Apple doing is in user's best interest, to have the same level of battery life as the battery degrade. THIS IS PURE NONSENSE. What we are seeing here, is CPU being down clocked by as much as 40%, when your battery capacity reduce by 20%, and your CPU represent at maximum 30% of battery usage, most of it are Display and Network Connection. Do the maths yourself, this is pure FUD.
5. The same is also on the Macbook as well, i.e Your Macbook will slow if your battery is dead.
In addition, the newer and faster SSD type storage tends to break down and wear out over time and, as I understand it, actually get slower...
... I love good conspiracy theories. Especially when you have to make parts of it up in order to make it juicy.
Sorry, but random. unpredictable shutdowns were a problem. And since the phone could not be used again until charged, it was a potentially serious, life threatening problem. Thank you Apple for taking care of that!
From the article:
"...the slow-down and consequent speed-up isn't universal, and there may be other factors at work."
"...While there is no universal improvement in benchmarks after a replacement, some additional users did confirm that their devices felt faster after a replacement.
Confusing the issue somewhat, some users with replacements at a Genius Bar saw no improvements. Additionally, users with third-party batteries sourced from unknown vendors also saw no improvements."
It appears that the empirical evidence is inconsistent. That makes me wonder if the improvement after battery replacement is real or just perceived. Just like how a software update makes one iPhone user think it feels slower while another user with the same phone says it's snappier. It could be that use patterns affect the result, but it could also just be placebo effect or confirmation bias at work.
I obviously don't know for sure one way or the other, but I'd want to see some objective analysis with proper controls before dismissing the possibility of human misperception.
BB