I always said it jokingly, but thought in the back of my mind that it was probably true, that Apple designs their products to self destruct. Most high powered PCs can be used for 5 years or more before you see them begin to slow down considerably. There are many of you that use Android phones for 3 or 4 years before considering buying a new phone. Android updates generally breath new life into their phones. The same can not be said for iPhone updates which generally tend to slow down phones and make their batteries die quicker.
It happens so routinely that many people with older iPhones assume that Apple does this on purpose to encourage users to buy newer iPhones. Apple has admitted that they are slowing down older devices. They claim it is actually to prolong the life span of these devices and not to encourage more sales. Apple's algorithm smooths out power strikes which are prevented by placing power caps on the phone. While Apple devices may get more frequent updates than some Android devices is it truly worth it in the long run if these updates are stiffing the power of the phone?
via Phandroid