Apple Slows Down Older iPhone's

Apple has addressed claims from an app company that says the maker of iPhones slows down the performance of older phones. Apple on Wednesday acknowledged that the company does take some measures to reduce power demands which can have the effect of slowing the processor, when a phone's battery is having trouble supplying the peak current that the processor demands.

The problem stems from the fact that all lithium-ion batteries not just those found in Apple products degrade and have problems supplying the big bursts as they age and accumulate charging cycles. The problems with peak current draws can also occur when batteries are cold or low on charge.

When an iPhone's processor makes a big current draw from a flagging battery, the battery can deliver the current in spikes that can potentially damage the phone's electronics. iPhones would suddenly shut down to protect the processor from being damaged by the power spikes. The sudden shutdown problem became widespread among iPhones in late 2016 forcing Apple to issue a software fix that had the net result of slowing the phone somewhat with an old, cold or low-charged battery.

The problem can be remedied by replacing the phone's battery. Apple charges $79 (roughly Rs. 5,000) to replace batteries not covered under the phone's warranty. The company has long faced criticism from repair advocates for making its batteries difficult for users to replace on their own.