The cult of climate change has come to Apple, it would appear.
The complications of clean energy may now play a role in how your iPhone charges and some folks are not too happy about that, given that it could result in slower charging times.
In what Fox Business billed as “a somewhat new feature,” iPhones have a new mode “intended to reduce the carbon footprint by charging only when lower carbon-emission electricity is available.”
“Apple introduced Clean Energy Charging with the release of iOS 16.1 on Oct. 24, 2022,” the network reported. “The company claims that when the mode is enabled and a phone is connected to a charger, the iPhone gets a report of carbon emissions generated by the local energy grid and uses that information to determine when to charge the phone.”
If you noticed your iPhone is charging a little slower recently it may be due to a new setting Apple added in iOS 16.1 — Clean Energy Charging
With it turned on, iOS will only recharge the iPhone’s battery when the electrical grid uses cleaner energy sources like solar or wind… https://t.co/r35GkgivQl pic.twitter.com/ANW3GZwYSd
— Chief Nerd (@TheChiefNerd) February 26, 2023
The important factor here being that the feature is optional — for now, anyway.
Currently, the mode is available in the U.S. only and is set to the “on” position by default, according to Apple.
Fox Business advices that to turn the mode off, users need to go into their iPhone settings, click “Battery,” “Battery Health & Charging,” then turn off “Clean Energy Charging.”
If you do opt to turn it off, one social media user said expect to be shamed:
Not only is it on, they try to shame you when you turn it off pic.twitter.com/K4oU1At4QY
— Doochebag (@MalcolmRenoldz) February 26, 2023
Here’s a quick sampling of other responses to the story from Twitter:
Thank you. I’d like to leave the biggest footprint possible pic.twitter.com/KHMxarAl8h
— BowTiedYukonCornelius (@BowTiedYukon) February 26, 2023
Is there a way to select “Only coal or diesel generated electricity” if so I would like that please and thank you
— BowTiedMaker | Gentleman Designer (@BowTiedMaker) February 26, 2023
Solar uses DC power to an inverter to AC. There is zero way the phone can tell what is powering the phone. Crazy
— TxTinMan (@TxTinMan69) February 26, 2023
Thank you! For the last week or so I was wondering what in the hell was going on. My battery would not max out and I’d end up half-charged by mid-day. What’s ironic is that we have hydropower on my area. So we are 100% ‘green’ I’d think. Where are they getting their info from?!
— K J Gillenwater (@kjgillenwater) February 26, 2023
Solar uses DC power to an inverter to AC. There is zero way the phone can tell what is powering the phone. Crazy
— TxTinMan (@TxTinMan69) February 26, 2023
Thanks. It’s just a matter of time until it won’t charge at all unless you have enough social credit points.
— random (@preterrandom) February 26, 2023
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Tom Tillison grew up in Maryland before moving to Central Florida as a young teen. It is in the Sunshine State that he honed both his passion for politics and his writing skills. Tillison also contributes to BizPac Review.
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