If you suspect that Apple is intentionally throttling or slowing down your iPhone to force you to upgrade, you’re not just being paranoid. Apple has confirmed rumors that the old iPhones are designed to slow down as the battery ages.
Forbes first noticed back in 2016 that their old iPhones were slowing down. They did a little investigating and learned that there is “something buried in iOS code called ‘Powerd’ that will increasingly slow down your device as your battery degrades.”
Once that code was removed, their old iPhones ran at normal speed again.
Forbes reached out to Apple who admitted that old iPhones are designed to slow down — to preserve aging batteries so phones don’t shut down.
At least that’s the story they are sticking with.
“Our goal is to deliver the best experience for customers, which includes overall performance and prolonging the life of their devices,” Apple said in a statement to Forbes.
“Lithium-ion batteries .. have a low battery charge as they age over time, which can result in the device unexpectedly shutting down to protect its electronic components.”
While Apple’s explanation seems logical, many iPhone users suspect the company is forcing them to upgrade to more expensive phones.
Stock photo by JGI/Jamie Grill/Getty Images
