Apple's Tim Cook says next iOS update will allow users to disable battery throttling
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The next update to iOS 11 will allow Apple users to disable the battery performance throttling on their device, a move that comes after the tech firm admitted in December that it intentionally slows down iPhones as they age to prevent issues with batteries.
During an interview with ABC News, CEO Tim Cook said the update will give users more definitive information about the battery’s performance as a way to prevent shutdowns.
“We’re going to give people the visibility of the health of their battery so it’s very, very transparent,” he said. “This hasn’t been done before.”
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HOUSE LAWMAKERS DEMANDS ANSWERS FROM APPLE ON THROTTLING OLDER PHONES
Apple CEO Tim Cook announced that users will soon be able to turn off a feature that was throttling battery performance on its phones. (Reuters)
Cook explained that users who don’t want the battery’s performance to be automatically reduced can turn off the feature, although he cautioned that it was not the best choice — as noted in Apple’s apology to consumers.
The Cupertino, California-based tech giant is facing multiple lawsuits over the battery throttling issue and has come under scrutiny from lawmakers demanding answers.
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During the interview, Cook also confirmed that Apple is giving almost all of its employees a $2,500 stock grant rather than a one-time bonus as a show of appreciation.
“We’re one of the few — we’re probably the only company of our size where every person is an owner in the company,” Cook said. “We wanted to do something that lasts a longer period of time.”
The company also broke ground on a new $2.6 billion data center in Reno, Nevada. The 1,700-acre site, which is where FaceTime calls are initiated and data from iCloud and iMessages are located, will harness solar power to run entirely on renewable energy.