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Gav2k

macrumors G3
Jul 24, 2009
9,216
1,608
... how would you feel if, instead of crippling the processor speed, Apple implemented some other hypothetical power saving virus “feature” for phones via unreversible iOS update such as:
  • Instead of having a maximum brightness of 500-600 nits... the phone now only allows a maximum of 250-350 nits.
  • Instead of being able to get continuous location information via GPS during navigation... the phone now only acquires your location every 3-5 min.
  • Instead of being able to stream video via cellular... you can now only do so via WiFi.
  • Instead of being able to choose the how long the display is on before it goes to sleep... the phone now always goes to sleep after just 30-seconds.
  • Instead of being able to choose which video recording mode... you can now only record at 480p / 15fps.
Would any of the above still be ok for Apple to do without letting their customers know ahead of time or giving them an option to shut it off?

“But... but... but... Apple always knows what’s best for the customer and did the only thing possible given the situation!”... Riiiiiiiiiight :rolleyes:

I could give more examples like the ones above, but I think you get the point. Apple was completely shady with their lack of transparency on this issue and how they forcefully crippled device processors without letting their customers know with no way to downgrade anymore.

Just another example of Apples heavy-handed approach of not giving users any choice or option (even if an update downgrades the experience) and in general just not giving a **** about customers on the software side of things once they have their money :oops:
The whole industry does this so what’s the problem.
 

laurim

macrumors 68000
Sep 19, 2003
1,985
970
Minnesota USA
... how would you feel if, instead of crippling the processor speed, Apple implemented some other hypothetical power saving virus “feature” for phones via unreversible iOS update such as:
  • Instead of having a maximum brightness of 500-600 nits... the phone now only allows a maximum of 250-350 nits.
  • Instead of being able to get continuous location information via GPS during navigation... the phone now only acquires your location every 3-5 min.
  • Instead of being able to stream video via cellular... you can now only do so via WiFi.
  • Instead of being able to choose the how long the display is on before it goes to sleep... the phone now always goes to sleep after just 30-seconds.
  • Instead of being able to choose which video recording mode... you can now only record at 480p / 15fps.
Would any of the above still be ok for Apple to do without letting their customers know ahead of time or giving them an option to shut it off?

“But... but... but... Apple always knows what’s best for the customer and did the only thing possible given the situation!”... Riiiiiiiiiight :rolleyes:

I could give more examples like the ones above, but I think you get the point. Apple was completely shady with their lack of transparency on this issue and how they forcefully crippled device processors without letting their customers know with no way to downgrade anymore.

Just another example of Apples heavy-handed approach of not giving users any choice or option (even if an update downgrades the experience) and in general just not giving a **** about customers on the software side of things once they have their money :oops:

Do you mean like how we can’t upload photos to iCloud unless we are on WiFi so we don’t accidentally use a huge amount of data? Yeah I’m a-ok with that!
 

jamezr

macrumors P6
Aug 7, 2011
15,852
18,435
US
But consumers would at least know it was the battery that was the cause of their phone slowing down. It would at least been up front to the consumer instead of hiding it.
Exactly!!! If given the choice of buying new phone at $800 -900 or spend what maybe $79 for a new battery? I wonder how many would just spend $79 to have their phone working like new out of the box.. .
 
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laurim

macrumors 68000
Sep 19, 2003
1,985
970
Minnesota USA
But consumers would at least know it was the battery that was the cause of their phone slowing down. It would at least been up front to the consumer instead of hiding it.

I don’t know why it’s so hard to contact Apple or take a phone to an Apple store or repair place to have it looked at before you feel the need to bail and buy a new one. I know some people don’t live near a store but everyone can contact Apple and get advice.
 

laurim

macrumors 68000
Sep 19, 2003
1,985
970
Minnesota USA
But consumers would at least know it was the battery that was the cause of their phone slowing down. It would at least been up front to the consumer instead of hiding it.

I’m sure there are many more ways the software manages the speed of different functions under different circumstances. Do you really think the average consumer has the ability to make intelligent decisions about which ones to opt out of? Do you also think the average person reads all the changes in the upgrade notices? I don’t.
 

44267547

Cancelled
Jul 12, 2016
37,642
42,492
Exactly!!! If given the choice of buying new phone at $800 -900 or spend what maybe $200 for a new battery? I wonder how many would just spend $200 to have their phone working like new out of the box.. .

No, Not even close. Either that's intended hyperbole or you truthfully are ignorant when it comes to prices of iPhone batteries.
 

jamezr

macrumors P6
Aug 7, 2011
15,852
18,435
US
Third party repair shops around here replace iPhone batteries for $50. Apple themselves do it for $79.

Feel free to edit your post with truthful numbers.
Thanks for the info. I didn't know what the cost was....
[doublepost=1513974921][/doublepost]
Third party repair shops around here replace iPhone batteries for $50. Apple themselves do it for $79.

Feel free to edit your post with truthful numbers.
More like $79 for a new battery
No, Not even close. Either that's intended hyperbole or you truthfully are ignorant when it comes to prices of iPhone batteries.
Thanks everyone for providing the right dollar amount for anew battery replacement! :)
 

D1G1T4L

macrumors 68000
Jun 26, 2007
1,724
99
Raleigh, NC
I don’t know why it’s so hard to contact Apple or take a phone to an Apple store or repair place to have it looked at before you feel the need to bail and buy a new one. I know some people don’t live near a store but everyone can contact Apple and get advice.

Because the uneducated consumer would just assume the phone was outdated and old. Time for an upgrade. If Apple was upfront then they would be informed and possibly have the phone checked out before they act on their assumption.
[doublepost=1513975900][/doublepost]
I’m sure there are many more ways the software manages the speed of different functions under different circumstances. Do you really think the average consumer has the ability to make intelligent decisions about which ones to opt out of? Do you also think the average person reads all the changes in the upgrade notices? I don’t.

It isn't just having the option to opt in or not. They should just be upfront with it. I'm fine with what they are doing. I just feel they should inform consumers.
 

CTHarrryH

macrumors 68030
Jul 4, 2012
2,939
1,433
Get a life folks - it is totally a non-issue
When in a couple of years you are driving an driver - less car you will be slowed down all the time when it is unsafe. You won't have a switch. When your data and phone is at risk you will be slowed down
 

Maui19

macrumors 6502
Jul 16, 2007
252
52
So Apple develops OS routines that guarantee reliable performance for phones with degraded batteries, and this is somehow a crime? Does anyone have any factual information about how much real-world effect these system changes make on performance. I just upgraded a 6S, and that thing had way more than 600 cycles on its battery. It ran beautifully, and I had absolutely no complaints about its performance. It never crashed, locked up or stuttered. But I can tell you without a doubt that if that phone hung or crashed or otherwise performed unreliably, I would have been very very disappointed.

I think people are looking for something to freak out over this. I see some using terms like "crippling their phones" and "destroying performance." This is quite wrongheaded in my opinion--Apple's engineering was ensuring optimum reliability in the face of aging batteries.
 

jtara

macrumors 68020
Mar 23, 2009
2,008
536
But consumers would at least know it was the battery that was the cause of their phone slowing down. It would at least been up front to the consumer instead of hiding it.

As Judge Joe Brown says: "Well, NOW, you KNOW!"

Water under the bridge. What's the point of debating what Apple SHOULD have done? I'm sure they will handle things differently in the future.
 

thadoggfather

macrumors P6
Oct 1, 2007
15,588
16,345
I disagree. I feel transparency is huge with customer trust, something which Apple didn’t seem to have any regard for until it was discovered by users that their phones were being throttled.

https://www.macrumors.com/2017/10/06/apple-doesnt-deliberately-slow-older-iphones/

This didn’t age well from October

Throttlegate is Tim Cook’s legacy. $1000+ dollar throwaway phones

I don’t understand why people think Apple would be SOL without Cook hypothetically. I’d argue they’d be better off. Considerably
 

JoeyD74

macrumors 6502
Oct 31, 2014
396
214
I’m sure older phones running the lastest software will get slower, that seems like common sense as they don’t have the speed and power of the newer models.
 
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Miss_Mac

macrumors member
Nov 22, 2017
58
38
Some interesting points being made. I do agree mentioning this in an iOS upgrade support page would have been helpful.

That said, it is good to know I can have my 7+ battery replaced if I need to for $79.

One thing Apple’s execs have done this year is ultimately discuss things they rarely did not in the past (both good and bad.) This was not handled as well as it could have been, but I am glad they are looking out for safety and experience as the battery health declines.
 

rawCpoppa

macrumors 6502a
Feb 23, 2010
646
707
https://www.macrumors.com/2017/10/06/apple-doesnt-deliberately-slow-older-iphones/

This didn’t age well from October

Throttlegate is Tim Cook’s legacy. $1000+ dollar throwaway phones

I don’t understand why people think Apple would be SOL without Cook hypothetically. I’d argue they’d be better off. Considerably

I remember reading this article and wondering if it was accurate. My 5s camera would take way longer to open up by the time I got to iOS 11 than when the 5s was new. The camera app on the 5s barely changed between launch n iOS 11. The phone also had free space so that wasn’t the issue. Missed many shots because of this kind of delay. Eventually got fed up and got an X.
 

firewood

macrumors G3
Jul 29, 2003
8,113
1,353
Silicon Valley
False premise. You consented. Carefully read the software license agreement that you had to click Agree on before the device update would precede. Apple's lawyers carefully crafted this, so you most likely have no legal case that you didn't agree. Whether you forget you did or not.

https://www.apple.com/legal/sla/
 

D1G1T4L

macrumors 68000
Jun 26, 2007
1,724
99
Raleigh, NC
I’m sure older phones running the lastest software will get slower, that seems like common sense as they don’t have the speed and power of the newer models.

That's the problem. Most users would assume just as you said but instead the phone is being slowed down due to the battery. Most would just assume as you have that it's time for an upgrade instead of a simple battery replacement.
 

Ralfi

macrumors 601
Dec 22, 2016
4,341
3,048
Australia
You sound as if crippling your customers devices via software update, instead of providing an adequate fix, and then not saying anything about it is an ok thing to do.

Doesn’t matter if it’s Google, Samsung, Apple, etc... all companies should be held to a higher standard than that.
They provided an adequate fix - battery replacement programs, for certain models.

What they should've done, is replaced batteries for all impacted models & perhaps continue to do so in future.
 
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