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Apple apologises for letting customers down after slowing down older iPhones


Apple has apologised for letting down customers after it was revealed the company was throttling the performance of older iPhones to maintain performance with an ageing battery.

In response to the feedback, Apple today issued a message to its customers about how it communicated this process and to clarify the misunderstandings about the issue.

“We know that some of you feel Apple has let you down. We apologise,” Apple’s message read.

The tech giant also announced plans to address customer concerns and regain the trust of anyone who doubted the company’s intentions by reducing the price of iPhone battery replacements by $80 to just $39.

In early 2018, Apple will also issue an IOS software update which will provide a clearer view of the health of their iPhone’s battery.

There had been a backlash from customers with some accusing Apple of slowing down their iPhones in an attempt to push users into upgrading their devices.

“We have never – and would never – do anything to intentionally shorten the life of any Apple product, or degrade the user experience to drive customer upgrades,” Apple said in its message today.


“Our goal has always been to create products that our customers love, and making iPhones last as long as possible is an important part of that.”

Part of Apple’s communication today was to also explain how batteries age and how that affects their performance.

Apple went on to explain that batteries chemically age and their ability to hold the charge diminishes.

It was these ageing batteries which couldn’t match the peak performance of the device that were causing unexpected iPhone shutdowns.

Apple’s decision to slightly reduce the processor speed to avoid these shutdowns and provide the best possible experience on older iPhones is where the controversy started.

“We’ve always wanted our customers to be able to use their iPhones as long as possible,” Apple’s statement said.

“We’re proud that Apple products are known for their durability, and for holding their value longer than our competitors’ devices.”


Replacing an older iPhone’s battery will return the devices performance to normal.

As a result, Apple has now reduced the price of out of warranty t iPhone battery replacements.

In Australia, a battery replacement usually priced at $119 is now $80 cheaper at $39 for anyone with an iPhone 6 or later.

From this we can assume this service will not be offered on the iPhone 5S and older products.

The company says its team will be working on ways to make the user experience even better including improving how iPhone performance is managed

Apple has also published a support article detailing the iPhone’s battery and performance.

It has also provided tips on maximising the daily battery life and the battery’s complete life span.

These tips include updating to the latest software, avoiding extreme ambient temperatures and removing certain cases during charging.