Apple Confirms It’s Quietly Slowing Down Older iPhones—Because Batteries Age
After years of whispers, Apple finally set the record straight: older iPhones are being down‑clocked to keep their batteries from bailing on them. It’s not a sneaky trick to push you into buying the newest model—it’s simply a protective measure.
What Went Down?
- The slowdown kicked in on the iPhone 6, 6S and SE during last year’s software push.
- It reached the iPhone 7 in December, via iOS 11.2.
- Apple plans to roll the feature out to newer phones as they start showing signs of age.
Why the Slowdown?
Batteries aren’t magical—especially lithium‑ion ones. Over time, they lose the ability to spike the high currents that the phone’s processor needs. When a battery is low or cold, it can’t keep up, and the amp goes out.
This means the phone can suddenly shut off to protect its delicate internals. With the slowdown in place, the CPU stays within safe limits, preventing those scary “device shutting down” moments.
The Big Surprise
Geekbench, a Toronto‑based tech site, ran a battery‑stress test on a handful of iPhones across various iOS versions. The results? Some older models were indeed playing it safe by dialing down their speed.
Apple’s explanation: As batteries die, they can’t supply the peak power the phone’s processor demands. Slowing the processor keeps the whole system from hitting the panic button.
Bottom Line
So, yes—Apple’s not secretly forcing you to upgrade. The company is simply making sure your ancient devices don’t abruptly quit mid‑call because the battery is tired.
Next time your iPhone slows down, just think of it as the phone saying, “Hey, I’m old, but I’ve still got your back!”
