The controversy has heated up so much, in the last few days, that it could no longer remain in that initial statement that Apple had given to some vehicles of the international media. Now, yes, she posted an open letter to consumers on her website, basically doing everything we hoped she would do.
In the text, Apple obviously starts apologizing to all consumers for their mistake but reiterating that “I would never do anything to intentionally shorten the life of any Apple product”, responding to scheduled obsolescence.
Then she went back to explaining how current lithium-ion batteries work, noting that it's not only the lifetime and the number of cycles performed that affect their capacity, but also cases like leaving or even recharging the device in a very hot place . She even published a new support article (already in Portuguese) that explains all of this in detail.
A passage from him:
With a low battery state of charge, a higher chemical age or colder temperatures, users are more likely to face unexpected shutdowns. In extreme cases, shutdowns can occur more frequently, making the device unreliable or unusable. IOS 10.2.1 (released in January 2017) includes updates for previous iPhone models to prevent this unexpected shutdown. This includes a feature for iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus and iPhone SE for dynamic management of instant performance spikes, only when necessary, to prevent the device from being unexpectedly turned off. This feature has also been extended to the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus with iOS 11.2, and we will continue to improve our power management feature in the future. The sole intention of this feature is to avoid unexpected shutdowns so that the iPhone can still be used.
“We always wanted our consumers to be able to use their iPhones as much as they can. We are proud that Apple products are known for their durability and for maintaining their values ​​for longer than competing devices ”, says the company.
And now?
Apple has announced three immediate steps it will take:
- Reduce the price of changing batteries of iPhones (6 or higher) out of warranty, from $ 79 for $ 29 in the United States, starting in January 2018 and expanding worldwide until December 2018. This value here in Brazil is currently R $ 449, so we can expect it to fall to something around R $ 169 (mere kick).
- In early 2018, release a iOS update with “new features” that will give users more visibility as to the battery status of their iPhones. Basically, inform explicitly when the battery reaches a level that begins to impair the performance of the device.
- It has also promised to improve the ways it manages performance and prevents iPhones from turning off unexpectedly, as the batteries become more worn out.
basically everything we expected her to do, as we discussed in our last three podcasts inclusive. The measure of adjusting the performance of iPhones is correct (no one in conscience would choose to use a device that could disconnect from nowhere, at any time), but there was a lack of prior communication of this nature and, mainly, an easy / fair way for consumers to exchange their batteries if you want to do that instead of investing in a brand new device.
Obviously, today's ads do not resolve any of the lawsuits already filed against Apple around the world, that is, it still pays for it, starting with the blemish caused to its reputation. The answer given, at least in my opinion, was happily well within what loyal consumers would expect from her. And let her learn from all this.
