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Apple has in the past released software updates that slow down older iPhone models.
A “misleading business practice by default”.
That’s how a French regulator defined Apple’s practice of deliberately slowing down its old phones for which it was fined millions.
The American company was fined 25 million euros (about 27 million US dollars) by the Directorate General for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Prevention of France (DGCCRF).
Apple acknowledged in 2017 that slow motion some models ancient iPhonealthough he assured that this was done in order to “extend the useful life” of the devices.
But the DGCCRF has determined that consumers they were not aware of this movement.
The Californian firm said in a statement that it had reached an agreement on the sanction with this body of the French government.
Why is Apple slowing down older iPhones?
The fact that iPhone phones slow down over time led many of its users a few years ago to suspect that Apple was applying a slowdown to trick people into upgrading to a newer one.
image sources, Getty Images
Some Apple users had suspected that Apple was slowing down older iPhones, which was confirmed by the firm in 2017.
Given the constant accusations, three years ago the company confirmed that there was indeed slower performance of some models as you get older, but he denied it was to trick customers into buying a newer model.
The company noted that lithium-ion batteries in devices become less capable of meeting peak power demands over time.
This could cause an iPhone to turn off unexpectedly to protect your electronic components.
So it released a software update for the iPhone 6, iPhone 6s, and iPhone SE that “smoothed out” battery performance.
image sources, Getty Images
A software feature of some iPhone models, including the 7 (pictured), is enforced to “prevent power outages”, Apple says.
The practice was confirmed after a customer shared performance tests on Reddit suggesting their iPhone 6S had slowed significantly as it aged.
But suddenly it sped up again after replacing the battery.
What did the regulator say?
The French DGCCRF said that iPhone owners “they were not informed that installing iOS updates (10.2.1 and 11.2) may slow down your devices.”
As part of the deal, Apple must display an advertisement on its French-language website for one month.
Apple “committed the crime of misleading business practice by omission“and agreed to pay the fine, according to the French agency.
image sources, Getty Images
Companies are said to apply “planned obsolescence” to intentionally slow down their products and motivate people to buy new ones.
Does Apple still do it?
Yes, Apple continues to apply software updates which slow down some iPhone models.
Since Apple confirmed the practice in 2017, it has been implemented on several other iPhones, including:
- iPhone 6, 6 Plus, 6S, 6S Plus
- iPhone SE
- iPhone 7 and 7 Plus
- iPhone 8 and 8 Plus with iOS 12.1 or higher
- iPhone X with iOS 12.1 or higher
- iPhone XS, XS Max and XR with iOS 13.1 or higher
The setting is only activated when the battery begins to degrade and iOS now offers clearer information to consumers about when performance management was enabled.
“The effects of performance management on these newer models may be less noticeable due to their more advanced hardware and software design,” Apple said.
image sources, AFP
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