Moments ago Apple has just published a letter on its website dedicated to its customers about battery performance in iPhones. It includes a formal apology, an explanation, and what some customers might see as an answer. This letter comes after the company admitting to slowing down older iPhones to keep performance at an adequate level due to older batteries inside.
Apple writes “We know that some of you feel Apple has let you down. We apologize.” From there they try to clarify the issue and explain it, while also attempting to offer a fix for affected customers. They also note that a key goal is to make “iPhones last as long as possible is an important part of that.” Apple says that batteries are consumable components that are heavily affected by a number of factors, like use and the temperature during charging.
An older battery can lose its capabilities to deliver enough energy during peak times, which explains iPhones sometimes just turning off and causing an unexpected shutdown. To combat this, Apple issues iOS 10.2.1 which brought with it improved power management for peak workloads. This update is when Apple started slowing down processing power in a dynamic fashion, essentially using an algorithm to decide what needs more energy, and yes this resulted in some iPhones becoming slower.
In addition to customer response on Reddit, from third-party developers, and from those contacting Apple directly, the company has also been looking into the issue. Through there research, they have identified that older batteries in Phone 6 and 6s factors into these slower user experiences, not just software updates or minor bugs. After recording this, Apple recognizes that some customers have lost faith and trust in the brand.
And similarly to antenna issues with the iPhone 4, Apple wants to address these customer concerns. For starters, a software update will be pushed out in early 2018 that will let the end user see more about there battery health. This will let customers identify if an older battery is causing the slowdown.
In addition, while a battery replacement for an iPhone costs $79, Apple will be reducing the price by $50 to $29 for the replacement of a battery in an iPhone 6 or later. This reduced price for the replacement will start in late January and go until December of 2018 with exact dates coming soon.
Apple closes the letter with, “At Apple, our customers’ trust means everything to us. We will never stop working to earn and maintain it. We are able to do the work we love only because of your faith and support — and we will never forget that or take it for granted.” While these steps do explain the situation and offer a solution, it might be better to see these replacements be at no cost to the consumer.
