In the wake of Apple admitting to throttling the speeds of older iPhones, CEO, Tim Cook, has announced that the next iOS update will allow users to switch off the performance throttling feature.
In case you missed all the action late last year, a tech firm presented evidence accusing the company of intentionally minimising the power given to CPUs of its older phones. Apple admitted to doing this soon after, but argued it was in the best interests of consumers, as not doing so could cause older devices to shut down unexpectedly.
Speaking with ABC News in the US, Cook says the update – which is due for release next month – will grant users full transparency when it comes to their batteries. “We’re going to give people the visibility of the health of their battery so it’s very, very transparent,” he said. “This hasn’t been done before.”
Users will also be informed of automatic dips in performance as they happen. While Cook says it can all be turned off, he stands by the argument that you’re probably going to be better off leaving it on, unless you’re happy to risk potential issues.
“If you don’t want it, you can turn it off,” he said.
While this and the company’s offer of discounted replacement batteries is heading in the right direction, it’s still facing a number of class action lawsuits arguing that the company intentionally slowed older devices in order to coax consumers into upgrading.
It’s nice to see Apple act so quickly, but really, we deserve transparency from the very beginning, regardless of what it deems to be well-intentioned features. Hopefully this serves as an example to all tech companies.
