Apple says it does not deliberately slow down non iPhone products
AS APPLE faces continued pressure over its program to deliberately slow down old iPhones, the company is keen to reassure customers over its other products.
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AS APPLE continues to deal with the fallout from the revelation it deliberately slows down older iPhone models, the company is keen to reassure customers it doesn’t employ the same tactic on its other consumer products.
Last month, Apple admitted it uses its iPhone operating software to slow down the performance of the iPhone 6, iPhone 6s, iPhone SE and iPhone 7 models when their batteries are either old, cold or have a low charge.
As the company faces a number of class action lawsuits over the matter, it has moved to quell any potential suspicion that it also slows down iPads, Macbooks or Apple Watches.
In a recently updated battery support page, Apple states “this power management feature is specific to iPhone and does not apply to any other Apple products”.
The tech giant was forced to come clean about the scheme after researchers exposed Apple over the iOS code late last year. But according to the iPhone-maker, it’s all done in the name of better user experience.
“This feature’s only intent is to prevent unexpected shutdowns so that the iPhone can still be used,” the battery information page says.
Apple says the problem is that ageing lithium batteries delivered power unevenly, which could cause iPhones to shut down unexpectedly, something that could theoretically be deleterious for the circuits inside.
Products like tablets and laptops have bigger batteries and should be less vulnerable to such issues.
But many consumers have claimed Apple was secretly using the tactic as a self-serving way to push customers towards upgrading to a new handset.
As a response to the ongoing backlash, Apple slashed the price of its battery replacement kits in Australia from $119 to $39.
Originally published as Apple says it does not deliberately slow down non iPhone products