Motorola, HTC say they don't throttle smartphone CPU performance based on battery age

[Polycount]

Apple has been in a bit of hot water with their user base lately following rumors that the company has intentionally slowed down older iPhone models. The news was troubling to users for a variety of reasons but chief among them was the concern that Apple could have been doing this to subtly push people to upgrade their entire iPhone instead of performing a simple battery replacement.

Despite earlier benchmarks that seemed to prove otherwise, the tech giant has since confirmed that they do indeed throttle CPU performance on older iPhones - just not for the reasons many users think. Instead, the company has claimed that their goal with the throttling was simply to extend the usability of older phones, not to manipulate users into upgrading via "planned obsolescence."

Good intentions or not, the controversy surrounding the issue has raised questions about the potential throttling of other smartphones on the market.

While companies like Samsung and Sony still seem to be preparing official statements on the matter, both HTC and Motorola claim they do not perform the same CPU throttling that Apple does. "We do not throttle CPU performance based on older batteries," said one Motorola spokesperson in a statement to The Verge. HTC echoed similar sentiments.

This still doesn't give us the full picture, though. It's impossible to tell whether or not the companies in question throttle CPU performance for reasons aside from aging batteries but it seems to be the best information we're going to get for the time being.

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/72484-motorola-htc-they-dont-throttle-smartphone-cpu-performance.html

 

[MaXtor]

For years I have heard people complain about their Apple phone slowing down following an update, I have yet to hear this from a single Android user. That's not to say it doesn't happen, but even if it does, there's a big difference between Apple and Android phones. If your Android phone's performance was throttled, you could easily flash a custom rom to regain your phone's performance. As far as I'm aware, short of replacing your battery, there's not much you can do if you're an Apple user. Of course not everyone has the technical know how or is willing to be bothered with flashing a custom rom. Luckily, throttling doesn't appear to be an issue with Android phones.

 

[McMurdeR]

Of course they don't - they don't update anything over a year old!

 

[MaXtor]

Haha good point, I've definitely heard that complaint, but I always flash a custom rom on day 1 and reflash updated roms.

 

[Polycount]

For years I have heard people complain about their Apple phone slowing down following an update, I have yet to hear this from a single Android user. That's not to say it doesn't happen, but even if it does, there's a big difference between Apple and Android phones. If your Android phone's performance was throttled, you could easily flash a custom rom to regain your phone's performance. As far as I'm aware, short of replacing your battery, there's not much you can do if you're an Apple user. Of course not everyone has the technical know how or is willing to be bothered with flashing a custom rom. Luckily, throttling doesn't appear to be an issue with Android phones.

Indeed. I'm not going to say it doesn't happen without hard facts (though it's looking like at least 2 major phone manufacturers definitely don't), but I've had my S7 Edge since release and never had a single slow-down problem with it. It could just be a matter of time, or the placebo effect dealio, but I've been nothing but pleased with my purchase thus far.

 

[darkzelda]

After having Moto Phones during the last 6 years, I can say that I haven't perceive slow downs on the phones after updates or anything else.

 

[treetops]

I just replaced the battery on my s5 for like 10$ and no they did not throttle me, my battery last twice as long now though.

 

[Reehahs]

For years I have heard people complain about their Apple phone slowing down following an update, I have yet to hear this from a single Android user. That's not to say it doesn't happen, but even if it does, there's a big difference between Apple and Android phones. If your Android phone's performance was throttled, you could easily flash a custom rom to regain your phone's performance. As far as I'm aware, short of replacing your battery, there's not much you can do if you're an Apple user. Of course not everyone has the technical know how or is willing to be bothered with flashing a custom rom. Luckily, throttling doesn't appear to be an issue with Android phones.

Indeed. I'm not going to say it doesn't happen without hard facts (though it's looking like at least 2 major phone manufacturers definitely don't), but I've had my S7 Edge since release and never had a single slow-down problem with it. It could just be a matter of time, or the placebo effect dealio, but I've been nothing but pleased with my purchase thus far.

I have been hearing my friends with Apple products complain of slow down on yearly basis.

 

[wiyosaya]

crApple would never admit to slowing down a phone in an effort to push people to buy their latest simply because it would open them to massive lawsuits.

As I see it, crApple does, however, think nothing of their user base and nothing of milking them in any way possible...

 

[Per Hansson]

I have a HTC M8 with a bad battery: it dies with too much activity when the battery is around the 50% mark or lower.
A definitive way to make it die earlier is to try to take a picture with the flash, that kills it around 75% and below now.
So yea, that's the other side of that coin which everyone is bemoaning Apple for.

It's also worse in that any app that was open when the phone dies becomes corrupted.
So if you are unlucky and it's the main cache then the whole phone needs a complete factory restore and reinstall.
HTC says they offer two years of battery warranty: My problem started within that time but they never replaced the battery for me.
First time I sent it in they replaced the LCD and charging port PCB.
The next time they simply did a factory restore.
(And I had written that that does not help, and also did the factory restore before sending it in anyway as I don't want to send in a phone with data on it.)