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In this June 18, 2016 file photo, customers look at Apple iPhone 6S models on display at an Apple Store in Beijing. Photo: AP

It’s not your imagination: Apple is deliberately slowing old iPhones, but says it’s to protect them

Apple says the move prevents sudden shutdowns on ageing iPhone 6, SE and 7 models

Apple

Apple has addressed claims from an app company that says the maker of iPhones slows down the performance of older phones.

On Monday, the blog Primate Labs, a company that makes an app for measuring the speed of an iPhone’s processor, published data that appeared to show slower performance in the Apple’s iPhone 6s and iPhone 7 models as they aged.

Apple on Wednesday acknowledged that the company does take some measures to reduce power demands – which do indeed have the effect of slowing the processor – when a phone’s battery is having trouble supplying the peak current that the processor demands.

An Apple iPhone 7 and the company logo are seen in this illustration picture taken on February 1, 2017. Photo: Reuters

The problem stems from the fact that all lithium-ion batteries, not just those found in Apple products, degrade and have problems supplying the big bursts as they age and accumulate charging cycles, Apple said in a statement the problems with peak current draws can also occur when batteries are cold or low on charge.

“Last year 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,” Apple said in an emailed statement. “We’ve now extended that feature to iPhone 7 with iOS 11.2, and plan to add support for other products in the future.”

A woman shows the iPhone SE, iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus models at an Apple Store in Omotesando in Tokyo in 2016. Photo: Alamy

When an iPhone’s processor makes a big current draw from a flagging battery, the battery can deliver the current in spikes that can potentially damage the phone’s electronics. As a result, iPhones would suddenly shut down to protect the pricey processor from being damaged by the power spikes.

The sudden shutdown problem became widespread among iPhones in late 2016, forcing Apple to issue a software fix that had the net result of slowing the phone somewhat with an old, cold or low-charged battery, the company said.

The problem can be remedied by replacing the phone’s battery. In the US, Apple charges US$79 to replace batteries not covered under the phone’s warranty. The company has long faced criticism from repair advocates for making its batteries difficult for users to replace on their own.

This article appeared in the South China Morning Post print edition as: Apple slows down older iPhones ‘for protection’
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