Evidence of meeting #97 for Industry, Science and Technology in the 42nd Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was apple.
A video is available from Parliament.
Conservative
Dane Lloyd Conservative Sturgeon River—Parkland, AB
Thank you.
Thank you for coming today and for your testimony.
These actions were unintentional, as you stated, yet it's very likely that because people would have bought new phones based on slower phones, Apple benefited financially. What are you doing to educate people about this problem with the phone?
Regional Counsel, Canada and Latin America, Apple Canada Inc.
We have continued to provide information, make statements, and communicate to our customers.
I want to make it very clear that we still sell these models of phones. It's not that we're trying to get people to buy iPhone 8s or iPhone 10s, as much as they have different features.
In our statement, we reached out directly to customers who were hearing a lot of information from other sources. We felt it was necessary for us to communicate directly to the consumer and explain what was going on.
I don't think we ever—
Conservative
Dane Lloyd Conservative Sturgeon River—Parkland, AB
Are they telling people about this in the stores when they buy the phones? Have there been letter campaigns, email campaigns? What is being done?
Regional Counsel, Canada and Latin America, Apple Canada Inc.
Our stores and all of our service providers are aware and have all the documentation and the technical information necessary to replace the batteries.
Conservative
Dane Lloyd Conservative Sturgeon River—Parkland, AB
I'm an iPhone user, and I like my iPhone, but if I hadn't heard about this in the news, I wouldn't know anything about this issue. I just spent 20 minutes on the Apple website and I couldn't find a single thing about this issue. It just feels as though Apple is not really telling people about this.
Can you explain why it's not more widespread?
Regional Counsel, Canada and Latin America, Apple Canada Inc.
Because the software update was designed to avoid the unexpected shutdown, and that was very successful. The software did do that.
Simon Potter Counsel, McCarthy Tétrault LLP, Apple Canada Inc.
If you'll allow me, there are several things on the website. I'll be very happy to send them to you later this afternoon or tomorrow morning.
Counsel, McCarthy Tétrault LLP, Apple Canada Inc.
Of course, Mr. Chair. We'll do it through the clerk.
Conservative
Dane Lloyd Conservative Sturgeon River—Parkland, AB
I appreciate that there is this battery campaign, a discount, but it doesn't seem as though very many people are aware of it. Will the pickup be significant? Are people replacing their batteries? How many people have gone in? How widespread is this?
Regional Counsel, Canada and Latin America, Apple Canada Inc.
It's my understanding that we've had a very good response to it, and that our stores are very active in replacing batteries.
Conservative
Conservative
Conservative
Colin Carrie Conservative Oshawa, ON
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
You read out what you did in the case of iOS 10.2.1. You stated that it “improves power management during peak workloads to avoid unexpected shutdowns on iPhone”. That was the representation you put with that update. Is that correct?
Regional Counsel, Canada and Latin America, Apple Canada Inc.
You see it before you install the software.
Conservative
Colin Carrie Conservative Oshawa, ON
Yes. You know what? I have an iPhone, too, and I love it, but when I get your updates, I just do them. I don't read them, but that's my fault.
Did you have any other representations that mentioned the iOS update may reduce the performance of the user's iPhone?
Regional Counsel, Canada and Latin America, Apple Canada Inc.
No. The words “power management” were meant to explain that the software will manage the power.
Conservative
Regional Counsel, Canada and Latin America, Apple Canada Inc.
People who use batteries, I think—all devices have batteries nowadays—are used to the degrading of batteries. I think it's a welcome change to see somebody who's saying they have some software that's going to manage your battery performance and make it last longer.
Conservative
Colin Carrie Conservative Oshawa, ON
I don't see the two necessarily equating.
Did any of the representations you made mention the consequence of not installing the update?
Regional Counsel, Canada and Latin America, Apple Canada Inc.
Most likely the unexpected shutdown, because that's what the software update was designed to do.
Conservative
Colin Carrie Conservative Oshawa, ON
Mr. Poole was also saying that a lot of this was done under the radar and that many people would just automatically do it because they would be worried about not having the upgraded security, but perhaps some individuals might have wanted to make a different choice. Do you feel that you explained it well enough?
