Apple Pledges to Be More Upfront About iPhone Performance
In early 2018, Apple faced a ton of backlash when the company was found to be throttling older iPhones with new iOS updates. The company later addressed the problems, apologised to customers, and offered solutions to help address the performance slowdowns.
And now, the company is being legally required to be more upfront about iPhone performance. The Competition and Markets Authority in the UK raised consumer law concerns with Cupertino after the initial reports from 2018, and Apple is now legally required to be clearer and more upfront with iPhone users about performance and battery health.
The CMA notes that today’s commitment will require Apple to notify users when a software update is expected to “materially change the impact of performance management” on their phones. Apple will also be required to provide customers with guidance when their iPhones are unable to maximise the health of their phone’s battery, according to the CMA.
Failing to abide by the CMA’s requirements will result in the CMA taking Apple to the courts, where it could face large fines. It’s not clear if Apple plans to be more upfront about software updates affecting iPhone performance worldwide, or just in the UK, so that remains to be seen.