Remember Battery-gate (I have to assume that someone, somewhere, has called it that)? Last month it came to light that Apple is intentionally slowing down older iPhones in an attempt to not hurt their performance as their batteries depreciate. People were upset and other phone manufacturers took advantage of the situation by assuring consumers that they did not participate in the practice. Apple’s reasons make sense, but their lack of transparency understandably irked people. A common complaint was that users should have been able to choose between reduced speed or reduced performance, which is a perfectly fair request. As of the next iOS 11 update, you’ll be able to do just that.

The next iOS 11 update, which should hit next month, will give iPhone users a very clear picture of how healthy their battery, which is at the center of this entire issue. The phone will let you know when it wants to reduce performance so that your (presumably) deteriorating battery doesn’t get overwhelmed and your phone doesn’t shut off unexpectedly. However, if you want to roll those dice, you can turn the slowdown feature off entirely.

Apple is currently facing multiple class action lawsuits, and their validity is arguable, but consumers certainly have a right to be upset over this. Transparency should always be at the top of the list of priorities, and Apple really dropped the ball. It’s good to see them addressing the issue in full force, and the opt-out feature coming in the new update is definitely a welcome one. Will it be enough to restore faith in Apple for those who lost it? Taking part in a class action lawsuit would certainly suggest that a consumer is prepared to part ways with Apple, but their brand loyalty is strong, so we’ll see what happens. (My guess is nothing).

 

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