Apple Admits it Slows Some Older iPhones

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Materials Daily News

Intermediate

Exercise 1

Vocabulary

intentionally

Adverb

ɪnˈtenʃənəli

on purpose; deliberately

He intentionally pushed his friend into the river.

widespread

Adjective

ˈwaɪdˈsprɛd

found or happening over a large area or among many people

Poverty is widespread in many developing nations.

The news report said there was widespread flooding.

Personal computers have gained widespread acceptance in business.

There's a widespread rumor about the actress's wild night life.

The unusually dry winter led to a summer of forest fires over a widespread area.

The common cold can sometimes become a widespread infectious disease.

Solar power is expected to become cheaper and more widespread.

cite

Verb

saɪt

to refer to someone or something as evidence to support an argument; to mention someone or something as an example

The professor cited some familiar examples to explain the complicated concept.

The lawyer is looking for other cases to cite in the trial.

When writing an essay, it is important to cite your sources.

The principal cited increases in standardized test scores as evidence that the schools were improving.

More than 100 case studies are cited in the report.

The article cites several experts on the subject.

capacity

Noun

kəˈpæsɪtiː

the maximum amount of people or things that can fit in a place, container, etc.

The capacity of this milk bottle is two liters.

Humans have a very large brain capacity.

demand

Noun

dɪˈmænd

a need for something to be sold, supplied, done, etc.

There is a great demand of user-friendly devices nowadays.

They discussed how the company was going to meet demand.

There is a demand for nurses right now.

The demand for my handmade bags is huge!

Exercise 2

Article

AI Generated Audio––:–– / ––:––

Apple Admits it Slows Some Older iPhones

Many people have long believed Apple intentionally slows down performance of iPhones in an effort to get users to buy new ones.

For the first time, Apple has admitted to slowing some iPhones down. But the company explained it only took the action last year to prevent battery-related shutdowns.

Apple’s action – and the company’s decision to keep it secret - led to widespread criticism from industry analysts and iPhone owners.

Many people have complained about being forced to either buy a new, expensive iPhone, or switch brands to fix the problem.

The issue of iPhone slowdowns in certain phones was recently noted by the founder of software maker Primate Labs. In his post, John Poole cited test results suggesting repeated reductions in iPhone performance over time.

Poole believed Apple must have made changes to the iOS software to limit iPhone performance when battery capacity reached a certain point.

A few days later, Apple released a statement admitting it made the software change. It said the action was needed to prevent certain devices from suddenly shutting down.

Wired magazine’s Jordan McMahon pointed out that Apple could have handled the situation better before deciding to secretly slow the phones.

Several economic analysts have lowered predictions for 2018 shipments of the iPhone X as some news reports also suggested there will be much lower demand.

Exercise 3

Questions

What did Apple say was the reason they decided to slow some iPhones down?

Who noted the issue of iPhone slowdowns?

What did Jordan McMahon point out?

Exercise 4

Discussion

What are your thoughts on the scandal surrounding Apple?

Do you find it surprising that "Apple has admitted to slowing some iPhones down"? Why? Why not?

Do you think there's any truth to the claim that Apple's software change was "needed to prevent certain devices from suddenly shutting down"? Why? Why not?

Would you agree that "Apple could have handled the situation better before deciding to secretly slow the phones"? Why? Why not?

Do you expect demand for the iPhone X to drop in 2018? Why? Why not?

Exercise 5

Further Discussion

Do you own any Apple products? If so, are you generally satisfied with the ones that you own? Why? Why not?

Are you in the habit of upgrading your phone every year? Why? Why not?

Why do you think Apple products are often more expensive than those of the competition?

Do you think that Apple will continue to dominate the high-end smartphone market for years to come? Please explain your answer.

In the long arc of time, you are only relevant if customers love you. - Tim Cook. Do you agree with Cook? Why? Why not?

Exercises for Further Self-Study

These self-study exercises are optional and should be carried out after the lesson has finished.

Exercise 6

Sentence Building

Write at least one sentence for each of the words in Exercise 1: Vocabulary. Begin by making sure you understand the definition of each word. Use the example sentences as a guide if you are unable to think of a sentence. Practice reading your sentences out loud.

Exercise 7

Summary

Make a brief summary of the article. Focus on the main topic and consider which pieces of information are most important. Make sure you include details such as what the article is about, who is mentioned in it, where and when the events took place, and also how and why they happened.

Parts of this lesson are based on:

An article by Voice of America.