Apple’s problems with the MacGyvered patch to the iPhone battery issue refuses to go away.
Over the weekend more representatives from the US Government have contacted Apple to ask what is going on around the battery problems, customers around the world clamored for new batteries for the smartphones, and competing manufacturers reinforced that whatever trouble Apple’s batteries may have, the issues were unique to the iPhone.
And in all of this, what little information coming out of Apple is in the form of nameless ‘Apple Spokespeople’ with no sign of Tim Cook taking personal steps to reassure his various constituencies that the issue is under control.
Following requests from the Upper House earlier this month, four Republican members of the Lower House have written to Apple, reports Reuters:
Four U.S. House Republicans, including the chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee, on Friday wrote to Apple Inc chief executive Tim Cook asking him to answer questions about its disclosure that it slowed older iPhones with flagging batteries.
This follows the French competition regulator opening investigations into Apple’s slowing down of older handsets to see if this breaks French laws regarding intentional obsolescence. Apple has stressed that this is not the case and the actions undertaken to ensure demands on older batteries are lessened:
iOS dynamically manages the maximum performance of some system components when needed to prevent a shutdown. While these changes may go unnoticed, in some cases users may experience longer launch times for apps and other reductions in performance.
Nevertheless, the message that has reached the public is not ‘Apple protects your phone’ but ‘Apple slows your phone down when it is a year old’, which has been taken as a confirmation by every conspiracy theorist on the planet.
That also means that Apple’s offer to replace batteries on the affected models for $29 instead of $79 has been promoted by association to a huge extent. Apple’s initial stance of only replacing batteries that had reached a certain depressed threshold gave the appearance of obstructing customers who wanted an exchange. Now the process is available to anyone who asks… and assuming there is enough stock in that store of batteries. Reported wait times of a week seem to be the average, although there are some circumstances where battery replacement are not going to be available until March this year.
Not only will any delay upset customers expecting exceptional customer service from Apple, it will also mean that customers with new iPhone batteries will be less likely to upgrade to a new iPhone in September. Analysts are projecting up to a ten percent drop in sales because many will be satisfied with their current phone and a new battery.
Although Apple sought to focus the issue on general battery chemistry rather than how the iPhone manages its power, rival manufacturers were quick to highlight that these issues did not impact their Android-powered handsets. Samsung, having already faced down its own battery issues with the Note 7 (and utilizing global recalls, extensive investigations and a significant level of reporting of its findings) found that its battery promise of 95% capacity after two years of use stood in stark contrast to Apple’s response.
It may be subtle, but expect the competition to start focusing a bit more marketing on the power capabilities of Android devices during 2018.
The issue for Apple has spread beyond the steps it took to address the battery problem, it is about the reaction to that issue, the relations it has with consumers and retailers around the world. It is about the perception of Apple around the world. Unlike the ‘antennagate’ issue of old, where a swift reaction from Steve Jobs stopped the issue snowballing out of control, ‘batterygate’ continues to grow and there are no signs that Apple is able to bring the issue under control before it causes more damage to the brand.
Now read more about the mistakes that are damaging the MacBook message…
