Apple was recently admitted to unilaterally slowing down users' phones. Photo/File.
Apple chief executive Tim Cook said Wednesday that you'll soon be able to make the decision between your iPhone's performance and its battery life, following controversy over the company's decision to do it for you.
Cook said that an upcoming version of Apple's mobile iOS operating system will allow iPhone
owners to turn off the part of your iPhone's software that slows it down to preserve its battery life, in an interview with ABC News. But he wouldn't recommend it, as the company slowed down the phones to prevent other problems, he said. Apple has previously said that turning off the performance throttling could tax your battery and make your phone shut down unexpectedly.
The update is expected in the coming months and will roll out first to developers.
Apple keeps a famously tight grip over its software but was forced to be more transparent than normal after some iPhone owners noticed late last year that their phones became noticeably faster with a new battery. The company faced customer outcry after then confirming that its software limits the speed of some iPhones with older batteries, in order to preserve battery life. Negative reaction to that revelation eventually prompted a rare apology from Apple. The company also offered a discounted $29 battery replacement to people with phones affected by the software - the iPhone 6, iPhone 6s, iPhone SE and iPhone 7.
While many iPhone owners were upset about the performance drop, many were also outraged that Apple didn't give customers a choice and was not upfront about what it was doing - sparking a slew of lawsuits around the world.
