Mayukh Saha
Mayukh Saha
August 17, 2024 ·  3 min read

Former Apple Employee Warns About Upgrading to the New iOS if You Have an Older iPhone

Older iPhone models, such as the X, 11, 12, and 13, may experience slowing and battery degradation after upgrading iPhone OS, a former employee of the tech giant has warned. Though it may be a nightmare for some iPhone users, Apple’s upcoming iOS 18 is looking to be the most anticipated update to date. The rationale is that iOS 18, which will introduce state-of-the-art artificial intelligence, is anticipated to be one of the largest updates in recent memory. The next iOS 18 will include improvements and new AI-powered capabilities that will require more power, potentially affecting older models.

Not The First Time For Apple

Apple iPhone

In the past, Apple faced criticism from users of iPhones who said their devices were being purposefully slowed down. In order to allay the fallout from the ‘batterygate’ scandal in 2017, which was dubbed ‘one of the greatest consumer frauds in history,’ the tech giant agreed to a $500 million settlement with American users, which it started paying out in January. Apple has not acknowledged any wrongdoing and agreed to settle a class action lawsuit in 2020.

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The Warning Regarding Upgrading iPhone OS

Tyler Morgan in his warning clip
Image Credits: hitomidocameraroll | TikTok

An array of new features, such as ‘Tap to Cash,’ which facilitates payments to friends, hidden apps, and Apple’s own artificial intelligence system, dubbed ‘Apple Intelligence,’ will be available when the updated iOS 18 comes in mid-September. However, not everyone finds it exciting. A former employee of Apple used social media to alert iPhone owners of iOS 18’s significant drawback: your phone may slow down. Tyler Morgan, a content artist and former Apple Sales Specialist, issued a cautionary TikTok alerting users of older iPhone models not to upgrade to iOS 18. He said, “It’s a new update that uses more power that’s really going to drain your battery and f***ing deteriorate your battery health like crazy. What happens when your battery health starts deteriorating? Your f***ing phone starts lagging”.

Read More: Hidden iPhone Setting May Be Draining Your Battery

Expert’s Opinion

Apple gadgets

According to independent Apple expert Robert Brown, this is because iOS 18 isn’t made to function properly on these older phones, as he explained in an email to DailyMail.com. ‘The new software often overtakes the older hardware that users are unaware it wasn’t intended to work on, and can also put unexpected strain on processors and therefore the battery power source,’ he wrote.

The Internet’s Opinion

Apple iPhone

After downloading the iOS 18 beta, a few older iPhone users have already reported lagging. “iOS 18 has been so slow on the XR, it’s crazy how bad it is. Omg. The phone has been slower than my old iPhone 6s.,” a Reddit user wrote. Commenters suggested that a portion of these problems might arise from the fact that beta software is still under development and frequently has more bugs than final software.

The Bottom Line For Upgrading iPhone OS 18

iOS 18
Image Credits: DailyMail

iOS 18 was first revealed at the company’s yearly Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June. It is anticipated to launch on devices in the middle of September. It has a slew of new AI-powered features, such as the capacity to design personalised emojis, or “Genmojis,” smart writing instruments, and significant enhancements to Siri. Additionally, it will have the option to “hide” apps in locked folders, a feature that some iPhone owners have expressed disapproval of because they believe it would encourage infidelity in partnerships. You can think about upgrading iPhone OS now if those features appeal to you, according to Morgan. However, be ready for a drop in performance if your iPhone is 13 or older.

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