[gmueckl]

Is it really worse if the GPU spends maybe 0.5ms more per frame on these effects? I'd be surprised if a good implementation adds much more to the per frame rendering time.

[landl0rd]

The consideration for mobile devices (laptops, tablets, and phones make up the bulk of apple's hardware sales) is more power consumption.

[gmueckl]

But even then it doesn't matter in practice. I dare you to measure the battery life impact of this change.