With iOS 11.3,
iOS 11.3 will change the game when it comes to battery transparency. The update will offer every user a detailed breakdown of their iPhone, iPad or iPod touch’s battery health, battery degradation over time, new performance options and reminders to replace their battery should it threaten system stability. No rival desktop or mobile operating can come close to this.
Yes, there’s a certain irony that a company facing over 60 class action lawsuits in America and investigations from governments around the world over so-called ‘planned obsolescence’ stemming from the rapid decline of battery health in its devices should take the lead on this very topic.
But that’s exactly what this pressure has forced Apple to do, and it could radically change the whole technology industry.
Make no mistake, once word spreads, users of rivals platforms will demand the functionality iOS 11.3 brings is added to their operating system of choice. Android will be expected to become responsible for the battery health of all Android smartphones and tablets, Windows will have to do the same for laptops and convertibles and every major Linux variant will be expected to step up as well. As none of these platforms control the hardware which runs them, that’s likely to cause them nightmares.
With so many lawsuits yet to be settled, it may be some time before Apple can gloat about this, but that time will come. It is also essential that it does come.
Batteries have long been the weak link in every smartphone, tablet and laptop, restricting how fast they can run and for how long. They have also wrongly been seen as similar to a device’s display, processor or ports: something expected to last the lifetime of a device.
iOS 11.3 changes that.
Users in their millions will soon grasp that a device’s battery is more like a car’s tyres. A part which wears out and requires replacing - potentially several times in a device’s lifespan. This will drive Right to Repair legislation, force manufacturers to again make batteries more accessible and swappable. And breathe new life into older devices, lengthening the time between upgrades.
It goes without saying that this latter customer benefit is something no phone maker and Apple, in particular, will be happy to witness. But that’s what iOS 11.3 will kickstart: a revolution in battery transparency and device longevity which Apple now has to champion through gritted teeth…
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