Apple's Liability For The Recent Battery Scandal

SeekingAlpha ^ | December 27, 2017 | By Zynath Investment

[Swordmaker]

• Recently, reports came out stating that Apple throttles CPU performance on older iPhone models with older lithium-ion batteries to prevent sudden shutdowns due to excessive current draw.

• Several class action lawsuits have already been filed as a result of this revelation.

• While at first it may appear that Apple has a significant liability in this case, I propose that it has several defenses and will likely take these cases to verdict.

• Further, the company can make software changes that will eliminate any potential damages that could be argued in lawsuits against it.

• This revelation is unlikely to have any effect on Apple's current or future stock price or on company performance.

Recently, reports came out stating that Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) throttles CPU performance on older iPhone models with older lithium-ion batteries to prevent sudden shutdowns due to excessive current draw. SA contributor Paulo Santos has discussed this issue in his recent article, arguing that the company could be looking at $1-9 billion liability. Several class action lawsuits have already been filed as a result of this news. However, in my estimation, Apple has several defenses against the potential lawsuits. It will likely settle these lawsuits for trivial amounts or take them to judgment.

In this article, I explain how CPU throttling works, how it affects battery life and current draw, and why it's a legitimate solution for voltage drop issues on phones with older batteries.

[Political Junkie Too]

Yes, I know.

My tongue is firmly planted in cheek. What about yours?

We must be living in different realities, mine where average every-day consumers can't be expected to focus on such things while working multiple Obamacare-forced jobs to replace the 40-hour workweek, and yours where you read the tags on Christmas-gifted pillows before sleeping on them, while trying to decide whether to install latest version of software or go back to Bed, Bath and Beyond to return the offending linens.

-PJ

[Mark17]

The upgrade made all of the kids phones along with my wife and my iP6’s worthless!

That’s weird. I wonder why it didn’t affect my Ip6? In fact, I am making this post on it right now.

[Mark17]

I would buy an iPhone if they popped apart by swelling the battery up like that so that I could change it with ease.

😀😆😁 Actually my iPhone 5 did exactly that, swelled up, so I had a professional change it out. He had it done in 5 minutes. The battery was probably 3 years old. I never let another battery go like that. Now, for me, I don’t like to get my fingers dirty, so I had a professional do it for me.

[Mark17]

I had the battery swapped out on my iPhone 6 earlier this year, in Fairfield. I first went to a cell phone store, which will remain unnamed. They sell IPhones, Samsungs, LG, Nokia and probably more. It was the same store I bought my 6 at. I said I needed a new battery. They told me that batteries could not be changed, that I had to buy a new phone. I laughed, walked out the door, and went to a little kiosk, almost right outside their door. He replaced the battery in minutes. I told him what the store told me. He came up with a classic. He said, would you ever ask an encyclopedia salesman, if you need a new Encyclopedia? I got a good laugh out of that. Soon, I will have the X.

[fireman15]

Finally, I met up with her and gave her two portable battery packs, a car charger and a wall AC adapter, and told her not to bother me again about her Samsung phone. Sheesh, Samsung owners are idiots.

For the past few years nearly everyone in our family have used Samsung phones almost exclusively on Sprint and T-Mobile MVNOs. They have mostly been purchased used. Most of them are S3s that are several years old and still going strong. I currently am using an S5 and my wife has an S4. None of these phones have given any of us any problems.

My wife prefers using an external charger and she pops a fresh battery in the phone when she gets a low charge warning. I haven't timed her but it seems to take her around 30 seconds. And then her phone is magically ready for another couple days of use. The batteries generally cost around $5 on Amazon.

I guess because you do not have the option of popping a fresh battery in your iPhone you never though that instead of giving your sister “two portable battery packs, a car charger and a wall AC adapter”... you could have just given her an extra battery.

Of course when I am using my phone for battery intensive activities in the car such as Google Maps and at the same time playing Pandora music through Bluetooth on the stereo, I keep it plugged into a car charger. That is called “common sense” something your sister apparently does not poses.

[ImJustAnotherOkie]

Your loyalty to the Monolith is loathsome.

[WomBom]

Sorry for the late response… laid up sick all week.

Our phones are constantly locking up. If you try to send a text, not every time, it will freeze up and eventually after a minute I just lose my patience and reboot.

It is not an occasional problem and it is not only my phones. I know others who have experienced similar issues.

[WomBom]

I don’t know about yours, but ours are constantly locking up. The same thing is happening with other folks that I know.

I just went out and bought 5 new iP8’s.. not a happy Apple customer for sure.

[wgmalabama]

Hope your feeling better. Thanks. My phone does the same. Also won’t let me answer calls occasionally. Not often so I’m sticking with the old ones.

[WomBom]

Thanks, feeling much better!

Happy New Year!