Tech business giant Apple has recently confirmed that they have been slowing down older iPhone models through iOS updates. They claim that this is to bring a better user experience by reducing the number of random shutdowns caused by older batteries.
In a statement released to TechCrunch, Apple said that they have been throttling processor speed to "prevent the device from unexpectedly shutting down." They elaborate that random shutdowns occur when older batteries cannot support the processors' peak performance.
The throttling was rolled out on iOS update 10.2.1, which was designed to reduce random shutdowns on iPhone 6 and iPhone 6s; and update 11.2.0, which does the same for iPhone 7 models. In both cases, the fix was to slow down the processor speed.
Apple noted that older Lithium-Ion batteries become "less capable of supplying peak current demands when in cold conditions." They also provide less power when they age. Immediate shutdowns are the devices' way of protecting its internal components when the batteries fail to supply optimal power.
The practice of slowing down or "throttling" older iPhones was noticed by many, but one concrete proof came in a tweet by user @sam_siruomu.
In the tweet, he shared how he used an app called "CPU Dasher X" to measure the clock speed of his iPhone 6's central processing unit (CPU) before and after a battery replacement.
In the initial test, the iPhone 6 CPU was underclocked at 600 megahertz (MHz). "CPU speed resumed to factory setting 1400MHz" only after the battery was replaced.
The decision to throttle CPU speed to save components from frequent shutdowns was seen as a well-intentioned move by Apple.
However, some feel that the company could have been more transparent with the practice. Without prior knowledge of the intentional slowdown, owners of older iPhone models may think that they would need to get a brand new phone, instead of just a battery replacement.
