Slowdowngate: Apple finally does what it should have done all along

The scandal around Apple slowing down older iPhones to manage batteries which were clearly defective instead of recalling and replacing them has been rumbling on for a week now, with talk of massive class action lawsuits and even criminal charges, forcing Apple finally to concede that they were wrong and apologize.

In a letter published on their site, they begged forgiveness, saying “We know that some of you feel Apple has let you down. We apologize.”

Fortunately, their contrition was not just empty words, as they also offered anyone with an iPhone 6 or later a battery replacement at the low cost of only $29,  starting in late January through December 2018.

They also promised to improve the reporting of issues around the battery in the operating system in an update planned for early 2018, so users will know when their battery is affecting its performance and when it should be replaced.

Apple called batteries “consumables” and now seems to admit that battery replacement should be a routine part of owning an older iPhone.

Of note is that Apple’s response is exactly what many were demanding and also what many Apple defenders have said was absolutely impossible and the wrong thing to do. Hopefully, Apple will move away from sheltering their users from the facts when exposing them to a bit more complexity would, in the end, be in their own good and save them hundreds of dollars to boot.

Via the verge