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​Apple Confirms Huge Conspiracy Theory About Iphone Batteries

​Apple Confirms Huge Conspiracy Theory About Iphone Batteries

The company has just admitted it's been secretly slowing down the performance of older iPhones, confirming what many had thought all along.

Jess Hardiman

Jess Hardiman

Apple has just admitted it's been secretly slowing down the performance of older iPhones, confirming one of the most widely-held Apple conspiracy theories out there.

While this is something we've all been kind of been suspecting for a good time, it certainly is a big admission for the famous tech company to finally make.

Apple explained that older batteries might have lower peak processor performance because makers have limited how much an iPhone processor can draw - therefore limiting that peak performance.

However, according to Apple, there's a perfectly good reason behind them doing it. Apparently it's got something to do with preventing older phones from shutting down unexpectedly.

Apple CEO TIm Cook. Credit: PA

In a statement from Apple, provided to Business Insider, the company said:

"Our goal is to deliver the best experience for customers, which includes overall performance and prolonging the life of their devices.

"Lithium-ion batteries become less capable of supplying peak current demands when in cold conditions, have a low battery charge or as they age over time, which can result in the device unexpectedly shutting down to protect its electronic components.

"Last year we released a feature for iPhone 6, iPhone 6S and iPhone SE to smooth out the instantaneous peaks only when needed to prevent the device from unexpectedly shutting down during these conditions. We've now extended that feature to iPhone 7 with iOS 11.2, and plan to add support for other products in the future."

So apparently, if an iPhone tries to draw more power than it's able to do, it'll suddenly shut down. By reducing how much power it can draw more gradually and controlling it (by slowing down performance), it stops the device from simply failing.

Basically, Apple is giving our iPhones a slow and painful death, on purpose.

The secretive company was forced to make the admission after GeekBench released charts based on its data, which showed how older iPhones weren't performing as quickly as they did when they first launched.

Credit: PA

Sure, the honesty behind the confession is a good thing - although a bit unexpected - but that doesn't mean iPhone fans aren't feeling slightly miffed about the whole thing.

Blogger and iPhone developer Marco Arment took to Twitter to say that it's not likely something people will forget in a hurry.

"For years, we've reassured people that no, Apple doesn't secretly slow down their older iPhones to make them buy new ones," he said in a tweet on Wednesday.

In a follow-up post, he added: "The reputation damage from secretly slowing down old iPhones, regardless of the reason, will likely linger for a decade."

No doubt Apple admitting this will have many now wondering just what else it's been keeping from us...

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: Phones and Gadgets, World News, News, conspiracy theories, Mobile Phones, Technology, Apple, iPhone