Apple's iPhone slowdown: 9 things you must know

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Apple's iPhone slowdown: 9 things you must know

Apple is facing as many as nine lawsuits (till the last count) after the smartphone giant acknowledged last week for the first time in detail that operating system updates released since "last year" for iPhone 6, iPhone 6s, iPhone SE and iPhone 7 included a feature "to smooth out" power supply from batteries that are cold, old or low on charge. Here's answering all your questions about one of the biggest controversy to hit Apple in the recent times.

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Nine lawsuits filed so far

Apple is facing nine lawsuits over its admission that did not tell its customers that it slowed down iPhones as they got older to prevent unexpected shutdowns. Eight of these lawsuits have reportedly been filed in US district courts in California, New York and Illinois. The lawsuits are seeking an unspecified amount in damages from the company. A similar class action lawsuit has also been filed in Israel.

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One lawsuits demands $999,999,999,000 in compensation

One of those lawsuits is filed by a woman named Violetta Mailyan in California, and her team of lawyers has asked for a massive $999,999,999,000 in compensation. This is almost a trillion dollars.

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Apple says that the tweak helps prolong the overall life of devices

In its statement, Apple said, "Our goal is to deliver the best experience for customers, which includes overall performance and prolonging the life of their devices."

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Apple claims that the software 'update' is aimed at preventing devices from unexpectedly shutting down

The company further added, "Lithium-ion batteries become less capable of supplying peak current demands when in cold conditions, have a low-battery charge or as they age over time, which can result in the device unexpectedly shutting down to protect its electronic components." Phones without the adjustment would shut down abruptly because of a precaution designed to prevent components from getting fried, Apple said.

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Apple denies that it OS updates are intended to make customers buy new iPhones

Apple strongly denied that software updates are intended to make customers buy new iPhones. The company said that last year it released a feature for iPhone 6, iPhone 6s and iPhone SE to smooth out the instantaneous peaks only when needed to prevent the device from unexpectedly shutting down during these conditions.

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The 'update' was extended to iPhone 7 with iOS 11.2 rollout

The company has extended the software update to to iPhone 7 with iOS 11.2 roll out and plans to add support for other products in the future.

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Apple made the disclosure after a Primate Labs report

The disclosure, followed a December 18 analysis by Primate Labs that identified blips in processing speed and concluded that a software change is behind them. The company develops app that helps measure iPhones' performance.

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Is Apple actually wrong? Analysts are divided

"If it turns out that consumers would have replaced their battery instead of buying new iPhones had they known the true nature of Apple's upgrades, you might start to have a better case for some sort of misrepresentation or fraud," Rory Van Loo, a Boston University professor specializing in consumer technology law told news agency Reuters.

However, Chris Hoofnagle, faculty director for the Berkeley Center for Law & Technology, told