‘This is the most ridiculous thing I’ve seen!’ iPhone users claim Apple is trying to TRICK them into upgrading by quietly slowing charging when ‘clean energy’ isn’t used
- Apple quietly released a feature that determines if and when an iPhone charges
- The feature slows down the process when ‘sustainable’ electricity is unavailable
- Users believe Apple quietly added it ‘to trick’ them into buying new iPhones
iPhone users have been in uproar following the discovery of a ‘sneaky’ feature that slows charging.
The feature, called Clean Energy Charging was quietly added in the iOS 16 update, and limits charging when ‘clean energy’ isn’t used.
Users believe the tech giant quietly added it ‘to trick’ them into buying new iPhone models when their device was taking ages to charge, while other suggest Apple is ‘dictating how they use their $1,000 phones’.
Clean Energy Charging is activated by default on iPhones, but thankfully it can be turned off with a simple button toggle in Settings.
Apple ‘snuck’ the feature in with the October iOS 16 release in the US, which has already suffered two security flaws.
The new feature is called Clean Energy Charging and it is activated by default – but users can slow it down with a simple button toggle
‘The most ridiculous thing I’ve seen!’ Some believe the feature is Apple’s way of getting people to upgrade their iPhones
How to turn off Clean Energy Charging
– On your iPhone, tap on the Settings app
– Tap Battery followed by Battery Health & Charging
– Tap on the toggle button next to Clean Energy Charging to turn the feature on or off
Since downloading the latest operating system, users have noticed it takes longer for their iPhones to power up.
Bernardo Magri, a frustrated iPhone user, tweeted: ‘This “clean energy charging” feature o[n] iPhone is the most ridiculous thing I’ve seen lately.
‘Apple pretends to care about the environment while purposely slowing down older devices to force people to upgrade, thus creating a ton of electronic trash.’
Another user wrote: ‘Wow…I was thinking maybe I need a new charging cord or my port was messed up?’
Fervo Energy CEO Tim Latimer said: ‘I’m glad Apple is working on dynamic charging to shift to low carbon hour.
‘BUT the way they rolled it out isn’t great. Limited awareness, default position is opted in.
‘We should demand better transparency and choice for clean energy solutions or it’s going to backfire.’
And another user who also noticed the activated feature tweeted: ‘Woke bs continues.’
MailOnline has contacted Apple for comment.
Users are more frustrated that Apple did not publicly announce the feature but snuck it in quietly – leaving them wondering why their device is charging so slowly
Another iPhone user said she thought she needed to buy new Apple equipment when charging was slower than before
One user called the update ‘woke’ because of Apple’s apparent dedication to combating climate change – although in reality it could be that Apple just wants to get users to buy a new iPhone
Apple mentioned Clean Energy Charging in the small print of a September press release, but many iPhone users are only now discovering it exists.
Apple issues urgent warning to download new iOS 16 that fixes security flaws – READ MORE
The updated operating system has patches for two security issues that were found
Some wished the tech giant was more transparent about the feature, as users who didn’t know why their phone was charging properly may have gone out and bought a new iPhone.
‘Clean Energy Charging aims to decrease the carbon footprint of the iPhone by optimizing charging times for when the grid is using cleaner energy sources,’ Apple says.
‘Clean Energy Charging engages only where you spend the most time and regularly charge your iPhone for long periods of time, such as your home and place of work.
‘The feature doesn’t engage if your charging habits are variable or you’re in a new location, such as when you travel.’
To deactivate Clean Energy Charging, go to settings, tap ‘Battery,’ then ‘Battery Health and Charging,’ and then turn off the switch titled ‘Clean Energy Charging.’
Apple’s iOS 16 has come with many issues; in February, the tech giant rolled out a dire update to patch vulnerabilities.
One of the issues is in Webkit, a Safari browser engine that allowed bad actors to execute an arbitrary code on an iPhone and Homeland Security believes it may have been exploited.
The second security flaw in Kernel could allow an attacker to take over privileges, but the tech giant is unaware this has been used.
It is unclear how long the vulnerabilities have been plaguing devices.
And two more security flaws were identified by privacy experts last week.
While another user pointed out that Apple’s production of iPhones has a bigger environmental impact than customers charging them
‘Green Agenda’: The fact Apple was so quiet about the update suggests However, you can turn Clean Energy Charging off with a simple button toggle
The latest discovery lets cybercriminals bypass security protections and run malicious code to access users’ images and messages, along with the address book and calendar.
There are several ways to protect your personal information from hackers lurking in the shadows, such as only using trusted apps in the App Store and not opening messages from unknown users.
Apple recently added the new vulnerabilities to its product security update page, urging users to download iOS 16.3.1 to patch the issues.
Privacy experts at VPNOverview shared news of the vulnerabilities, CVE-2023-23520 and CVE-2023-23531, allowing attackers to bypass this cryptographic signing process and run malicious code out of its ring-fenced security sandbox.
Apple will DITCH physical volume and power buttons in the iPhone 15 in favour of haptic controls, rumours suggest
Leaked renders of the upcoming iPhone 15, which is not due to be unveiled until the autumn, show some major design changes compared with last year’s iPhone 14.
iPhone 15 has a thinner bezel, thicker camera bumps, more curved edges and haptic side buttons controlled by touch instead of physical buttons, the renders reveal.
The new phone also has a USB-C charging port instead of a Lightning port, due to recent legislation passed by the European Union.
iPhone 15 has a thinner bezel, thicker camera bumps, more curved edges and haptic buttons controlled by touch instead of physical buttons, leaked renders reveal
The new renders, obtained by 9to5Mac, are CAD (computer-aided design) files given to third-party manufacturers of iPhone cases ahead of the device’s launch.
The upcoming iPhone 15 will allegedly be the first iPhone without physical buttons on the side, which are used to turn off the device, control volume, take screenshots, activate Siri and more.
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