UPDATE 30 DECEMBER: Apple has announced that the battery replacement program will commence immediately, instead of the initial late January rollout. More below.
Apple has apologised for slowing down the performance of older iPhones in an attempt to preserve battery life. The company has caught a large amount of flak since confirming a theory that iOS reduces power draw as the battery ages; preventing issues like the device suddenly shutting down.
The company has stated that it would never deliberately shorten the lifespan of any Apple product, as the “goal has always been to create products that our customers love, and making iPhones last as long as possible is an important part of that.”
Sadly, the days following the original admission were followed by a wave of lawsuits. Which is likely what has forced Apple into having to take measures to placate its demanding customer base.
These measures include reducing the price of an out-of-warranty battery replacement, taking it from $79 to $29 for all of 2018. The company will also be update iOS to provide more information about battery health; giving customers more information about whether they should consider signing up for a replacement.
Apple has also put up a new support page that fully explains what is going on and why it took the road that it did. For Malaysians, there is also a dedicated support page with local information.
For Malaysian iPhone users affected by this, Apple has confirmed that the discounted battery replacement prices will also apply in Malaysia. The battery replacement offer will apply only to iPhone 6 and later, and will cost RM129 (instead of RM369). The discount will begin in late January 2018 immediately and continue until the end of the year. The iOS update will also be pushed out some time in late January to “give users more visibility into the health of their iPhone’s battery, so they can see for themselves if its condition is affecting performance”.
It’s interesting to observe the public outcry against Apple’s solution to a problem plaguing older iPhones. A number of posts on message boards claim that they would have preferred to be told to replace their batteries, rather than have their phones slowed down to the point of becoming an annoyance.
Batteries are becoming the weak point in modern technology. Apple is not the only one struggling to keep the lithium-ion cells running properly, with Samsung’s Galaxy Note 8 also appearing to suffer from battery related problems. At this rate, it might be time to take alternative battery technologies a little more seriously.
[Source: Apple]
