Apple confirms update slows down iPhones as battery ages

Apple has confirmed that it slows down older iPhones as the battery ages. The process is to avoid any issues that cause the phone to suddenly drop out and happen since iOS 10.2.1

The feature is in iOS 10.2.1 for the iPhone 6, 6S and SE and in the iPhone 7 in iOS 11.2. If the phone is too cold or if the battery can supply too little voltage due to degradation or too little charge, the phone will slow down, Apple confirms to Techcrunch.

According to Apple, the measure should prevent iPhones from failing if the processor demands too much from the battery. The battery cannot handle that peak load. The feature to slow down the software to prevent issues will be found in other products in the future, Apple says. What those are, the manufacturer does not say.

Since last year, iPhones have been able to notify the user that the battery should be replaced, but the software slowdown mechanism kicks in much faster. As a result, users are faced with delays without it being clear why. The system to prevent peak loads with weaker batteries has not been included in the iOS release notes.

It is the first time that Apple confirms this. The confirmation comes after Geekbench released data showing that iPhones with new iOS versions scored lower. Also, many users found that their phone became much faster after replacing the battery.