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Senator Wants Apple To Answer Questions on Slowing iPhones (reuters.com)

Posted by msmash on from the next-up dept.

The chairman of a U.S. Senate committee overseeing business issues asked Apple to answer questions about its disclosure that it slowed older iPhones with flagging batteries, Reuters reported on Wednesday, citing a letter. From the report: The California-based company apologized over the issue on Dec. 28, cut battery replacement costs and said it will change its software to show users whether their phone battery is good. Senator John Thune, a Republican who chairs the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, said in a Jan. 9 letter to Apple Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook that "the large volume of consumer criticism leveled against the company in light of its admission suggests that there should have been better transparency."

4 of 169 comments (clear)

  1. Overblown by Dan+East · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I'm not an Apple fanboi... really I'm not. I have an iPhone, but won't use their overpriced Macbooks because of Apple's draconian design decisions. Having said that, I really do not see what the issue is here. We know lithium ion batteries degrade with use. I (and I think most people) want their phones to last through the entire day. Besides making the display dimmer, which really isn't much of an option, slowing the CPU to reduce power consumption is one of the only viable methods available through software to preserve the operating time throughout the lifetime of the phone. Should Apple have made this a user controlled option? Sure. In fact, Apple could have had the phone show some message "Your battery needs replaced - your phone only has 75% of the capacity from when it was new" and could have made a lot of money off of people replacing their batteries.

    I do not think that the devices are slowed to make them unusable so people would buy new phones. Having a totally dead phone after 8 hours instead of 12 hours is worse, in my opinion.

    --
    Better known as 318230.
    1. Re:Overblown by Pieroxy · · Score: 4, Insightful

      I agree completely with almost everything you said, except this:

      "could have made a lot of money off of people replacing their batteries."

      While that is true, it's a LOT less money than they'll make from people replacing the entire phone instead, which I think most folks would do.

      The question being, which scenario would lead the user to buy a new phone faster:
      1) the phone randomly shuts down when below 30% and using a lot of CPU
      2) the phone displays a message "Your battery is about to die we will slow it down to ensure proper usability"

      My bet is on #1.

      --
      Write boring code, not shiny code!
  2. Re:what about not helping the FBI as well? by unixcorn · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I think you mean to say that the Senator should thank Apple for not letting it's customers down by capitulating to government pressure to provide a back door. A door that hackers would certainly find and exploit in order to steal our personal data. A door that could be used by law enforcement without a warrant. I applaud Apple for standing up for personal liberties, even if it makes it tougher on law enforcement.

  3. What did you just say, faggot? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Insightful

    If I want to hear any more shit from you, I will SQUEEZE it out of your fucking head.