Apple admitted in late 2017 that it deliberately slowed down some iPhones with degraded batteries to prevent performance drops, but the company still can’t leave the whole thing behind.
After discounting its battery replacement program from $79 to $29 and updating iOS with battery health data, Apple is now making another step towards dealing with worn-out batteries the correct way.
The company will begin warning users when the iOS updates that it ships could have a performance impact on their iPhones, technically making it easier for customers to determine if there’s something wrong with their devices or the phone is slowed down on purpose.
All iPhone models to get performance impact info
The decision comes after the UK Competition and Markets Authority, or CMA, started an investigation in early 2018 after it discovered that some local customers ended up paying for iPhone repairs after Apple deliberately degraded the performance of the devices.
“Since the CMA raised its concerns, Apple had already started to be more up front with iPhone users, but today’s announcement locks the firm into formal commitments always to notify people when issuing a planned software update if it is expected to materially change the impact of performance management on their phones,” CMA says in an announcement on the official
website.
“Apple will also provide easily accessible information about battery health and unexpected shutdowns, along with guidance on how iPhone users can maximise the health of their phone’s battery.”
The update information will be available for both current and future iPhone models. If Apple violates the agreement, CMA says it’s willing to take action through the court, so the company could end up being fined for not informing users about the performance impact of iOS updates.
To view the battery health level of an iPhone battery, head over
to Settings > Battery > Battery Health > Maximum Capacity.
