14 DAY TRIAL // Apple has publicly apologized for slowing down iPhones with degraded batteries and offered discounts on replacements for users who don’t want to upgrade, but in addition, the company also provided an in-depth look at how the CPU throttling takes place.
The long support document that Apple obviously uses in an attempt to find an excuse for slowing down the iPhones contains one key part that concerns the way a device feels like after the tweaks are applied, and can be used by users as symptoms that their smartphones’ performance is reduced on purpose.
First and foremost, Apple admits that the whole thing happens on all iPhones launched before this year’s generation, explaining that the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus got the throttling tweaks with iOS 11.2.
“This feature’s only intent is to prevent unexpected shutdowns so that the iPhone can still be used,” Apple explains.
“This power management works by looking at a combination of the device temperature, battery state of charge, and the battery’s impedance. Only if these variables require it, iOS will dynamically manage the maximum performance of some system components, such as the CPU and GPU in order to prevent unexpected shutdowns.”
Reduced performance symptoms
Apple goes on to add that in some cases user might not notice any differences in performance, though it admits that in some other cases, several effects could be observed.
These effects, and you should pay particular attention to these, include longer app launch times, lower frame rates while scrolling, backlight dimming, lower speaker volume, gradual frame rate reductions in apps, disabled camera flash, and longer times for loading apps refreshing in background.
By no means sensors, location, GPS performance, camera performance, and call quality will be reduced, Apple says, no matter how degraded your battery is.
Apple ends the support document in an attempt to come clean on its practices, explaining that “all rechargeable batteries are consumables and have a limited lifespan,” eventually recommending users with impacted performance to “replace the device battery.” If only we knew that before spending thousands of dollars on buying new iPhones...