Apple has rolled out iOS 11.3, with the Battery Health menu arguably being the most important addition in the latest update to the mobile operating system.
The Battery Health feature of Apple is the first of its kind in the smartphone industry, and it will look to address one of the biggest iPhone issues in recent memory.
Apple Launches iOS 11.3
The third major version of iOS 11, iOS 11.3, has finally arrived. Owners of all compatible iPhone and iPad models will now be able to download the over-the-air update, as long as they have a stable Wi-Fi connection and enough charge on their battery.
The iOS 11.3 update brings with it a host of updates and new features. The operating system upgrade improves the augmented reality functions of iPhones, and related to that, adds the lion, dragon, bear, and skull Animoji. The update also introduces Health Records, which is a portal that will allow patients to access their medical records from their iPhone from over 40 health systems.
The Importance Of The Battery Health Feature
The Battery Health menu, however, may be the most important addition in iOS 11.3. It can be found under the Battery option of the iPhone's Settings.
The menu offers two kinds of information: Maximum Capacity, which shows how much of the original charge the battery is still able to hold, and Peak Performance Capacity, which tells users if their iPhone's performance is being throttled due to its aging battery.
The Battery Health menu is the result of the massive criticism that Apple faced after users discovered that the iOS purposely throttles iPhone performance as their batteries age, supposedly to prevent unexpected crashes. Apple has also launched a $29 iPhone battery replacement program as part of its response to the backlash, and now stands to lose iPhone sales worth $10 billion.
How To Disable iPhone Battery Throttling
On iPhones with weaker batteries, not only will the Maximum Capacity display a lower percentage, but the Peak Performance Capability will also display a message that says performance management is being applied on the iPhone to prevent unexpected shutdowns.
For users who would prefer their iPhones to keep working at peak performance despite the aging battery, a Disable option will stop the iPhone throttling.
The ability to turn off battery throttling is currently only available on the iPhone SE, iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6S, iPhone 6S Plus, iPhone 7, and iPhone 7 Plus. This may be because newer smartphones are generally expected to still have good battery performances.
