Apple is still feeling the heat after it announced that it purposely slows down older iPhones because of degrading batteries. We’ve already been told that Apple would release an iOS update in the future to give users more information about their battery status.
Now in an interview with ABC News, Tim Cook has told us that users will be able to disable performance throttling through an upcoming update.
There wasn’t much more information provided than that. In an apology letter to its customers last month, Apple claimed:
“Early in 2018, we will issue an iOS software update with new features that give users more visibility into the health of their iPhone’s battery, so they can see for themselves if its condition is affecting performance.”
This is the first time we’re hearing of an option to disable Apple’s safeguard. As usual a developer beta will be tested first before the public release. Should a developer beta become available in February, we should see the public release sometime in March. Of course Apple is not recommending users disable performance throttling, but it is something many users have asked for. This also means that users would now be open to sporadic shutdowns if battery cannot provide enough power.
The Cupertino firm has confirmed that performance throttling is activated on iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus and iPhone SE as of iOS 11.2. Users of these models can still take advantage of Apples’s $29 battery replacement program (even if the device passes Genuis Bar tests) until the end of the year.