Apple bows to pressure, discounts iPhone batteries

Apple announced Thursday it would discount replacement batteries for old iPhones amid criticism for throttling processing speed on outdated devices. “We know that some of you feel Apple has let you down,” the company said a statement. “We apologize.” Many customers expressed anger after discovering Apple’s latest software update deliberately slowed older phones to extend battery life. Some viewed it as a scheme to force people to purchase new devices. The company’s lengthy apology letter announced it would offer customers new batteries for $29—a $50 savings over previous prices. Apple said it intended the slowdown to prevent older batteries from unexpectedly shutting down phones. Users can block the performance throttle by installing a new battery on their old device. “First and foremost, we have never—and would never—do anything to intentionally shorten the life of any Apple product, or degrade the user experience to drive customer upgrades,” Apple said. “We’ve always wanted our customers to be able to use their iPhones as long as possible.” The discounted batteries go on sale at the end of next month and will be available throughout 2018.