What is the new Battery Health tool, why is it there and how do you use the new feature?
In response to public demand, iOS 11.3 introduces a new battery management system that puts users back in control of their iPhone.
Apple faced fury (and multiple lawsuits) when it was revealed that the company has been throttling device performance on older devices.
Apple said this was to prevent unexpected shut downs as the batteries inside its products inevitably fade. However, many of even Apple’s most loyal users felt that this built-in obsolescence was a step too far from the firm.
The company couldn’t ignore the push back and while it argued that it was open about taking this step (perhaps more open than this), Apple CEO, Tim Cook, apologized, launched a free battery replacement scheme and promised new management tools within iOS to put users back in control.
You can use this guide to check your battery health, meanwhile, here’s a first look at how to use Apple’s new Battery Health tool inside iOS 11.3.
Apple explains that:
“A normal battery is designed to retain up to 80 percent of its original capacity at 500 complete charge cycles when operating under normal conditions.”
Batteries degrade over time. When they start out in life all shiny and new thay can carry up to 100 percent charge. Time erodes capacity, meaning they can hold less energy. Not only does this mean they won’t last as long between charges, but it also means they’ll be unable to supply the kind of peak performance power you may sometimes require. When this happens, your iPhone may shut down.
Apple’s solution is to manage performance to prevent such shut downs.
When peak performance is throttled in this way, you may see apps take longer to launch, slower scrolling, reduced brightness, low speaker volume, frame reductions in some apps for choppier performance, the need to restart active apps following background updates, and even a disabled camera flash.
Apple sees these as a price to ensure overall system performance remains predictable and the device is protected against sudden shut downs.
These states describe different ways in which Peak Performance is managed on your device:
It’s not completely gone: It will be turned on automatically again if your iPhone shuts down because the battery is unable to supply sufficient power to keep it running at peak performance – though you can disable it again to get performance back.
