$29 battery exchanges for iPhone 6 and newer now available at most Apple retail locations
Many Apple retail locations in the U.S. started the $29 battery replacement for the iPhone 6 or newer, well in advance of a previously announced January timeframe -- but appointments are filling up, and turnaround times are growing.
The battery program was originally said to start in the end of January. However, first reported by TechCrunch and confirmed by AppleInsider, most Apple stores are doing the battery swaps for the lower price now.
"We expected to need more time to be ready, but we are happy to offer our customers the lower pricing right away," Apple said in a statement to TechCrunch. "Initial supplies of some replacement batteries may be limited."
The new $29 iPhone battery replacement is a dramatic reduction from the previous cost of $79. It will be available for anyone with an iPhone 6 or later whose battery needs to be replaced through Dec. 2018.
AppleInsider was told that appointments for the service are required, and depending on workload, customers should not expect to get the devices back while they wait -- or even same day in some cases. Spot checks of several Apple stores showed same-day service in two of 12 stores, next-day service in two locations, next-day in five, and no estimate beyond "not today" in two others. One store still had pricing at $79 for the service.
Apple's new battery replacement program was announced on Thursday. In early 2018, the company will also issue an iOS software update with "new features," to let users see if the condition of their phone's battery is affecting performance.
Aging batteries have reduced capacities not just in longevity, but in sustained power output maximums, with from low voltage as a result of chemical depletion forcing random shutdowns of devices when they are subjected to spikes in power usage. Apple has addressed this by reducing peak performance of processors in older phones, which can make them run slower, but also keeps them operational for a longer period of time.
Despite the fact that throttling keeps devices operational for longer, Apple's own admission has helped fueled a popular conspiracy theory that the company intentionally slows down older iPhones to encourage customers to buy a new device.
The same tests not only showed that iPhones with properly functioning batteries are just as fast as they day they were unboxed, but also that older devices outfitted with a new battery will see their performance return to normal levels.
However, Apple's admission and continued belief in the conspiracy theory have helped to spur a number of lawsuits from around the world. Some critics have contended that even if the throttling is in the best interest of users and their devices, Apple should still have been more transparent about the fact that software updates could result in slower phones.
The battery program was originally said to start in the end of January. However, first reported by TechCrunch and confirmed by AppleInsider, most Apple stores are doing the battery swaps for the lower price now.
"We expected to need more time to be ready, but we are happy to offer our customers the lower pricing right away," Apple said in a statement to TechCrunch. "Initial supplies of some replacement batteries may be limited."
The new $29 iPhone battery replacement is a dramatic reduction from the previous cost of $79. It will be available for anyone with an iPhone 6 or later whose battery needs to be replaced through Dec. 2018.
AppleInsider was told that appointments for the service are required, and depending on workload, customers should not expect to get the devices back while they wait -- or even same day in some cases. Spot checks of several Apple stores showed same-day service in two of 12 stores, next-day service in two locations, next-day in five, and no estimate beyond "not today" in two others. One store still had pricing at $79 for the service.
Apple's new battery replacement program was announced on Thursday. In early 2018, the company will also issue an iOS software update with "new features," to let users see if the condition of their phone's battery is affecting performance.
Aging batteries have reduced capacities not just in longevity, but in sustained power output maximums, with from low voltage as a result of chemical depletion forcing random shutdowns of devices when they are subjected to spikes in power usage. Apple has addressed this by reducing peak performance of processors in older phones, which can make them run slower, but also keeps them operational for a longer period of time.
Despite the fact that throttling keeps devices operational for longer, Apple's own admission has helped fueled a popular conspiracy theory that the company intentionally slows down older iPhones to encourage customers to buy a new device.
The same tests not only showed that iPhones with properly functioning batteries are just as fast as they day they were unboxed, but also that older devices outfitted with a new battery will see their performance return to normal levels.
However, Apple's admission and continued belief in the conspiracy theory have helped to spur a number of lawsuits from around the world. Some critics have contended that even if the throttling is in the best interest of users and their devices, Apple should still have been more transparent about the fact that software updates could result in slower phones.
Comments
Also, my GF's had a message from Apple, Settings>Battery "Your iPhone battery may need to be serviced."
Best.
The question is: Why don't you believe this response has nothing to do with calming customers?
that would be probably about 5 billion if half of phones replace (they probably won't do it this year, so maybe 2-3 billion per year if they keep it going.
I think that say in a year, they'll put it back to $45-50 and just cover their costs.
Iphone sales cycles are getting longer and longer anyway.
Never understood that. At least I hope you were selling your old one.
Charlie Trexler
I’m sure many 7 series will be carrying lower capacity batteries well beyond 2018.
I also hope they start putting higher capacity batteries on the next iPhones too. Another couple of millimetres is a welcome trade in my opinion.
Still not not updating my phone to ios 11.2 though.
Don’t fancy having a gimped cpu / gpu in months to come. Would rather it just started shutting down ... atleast I know it needs a new battery then.
You sound under the impression that you’re entitled to low cost battery replacements. Why? Do you feel the same way about car batteries? How many free or discounted batteries have automakers given out for used up car batteries that fail to crank in winter?
If you have an expired battery, just replace it. Like you do on the TV remote.
Also, if that $29 includes the battery, time to do it, and processing the transaction, they are almost certainly losing money.
I agree. But, I can't imagine there was no discussion about how to implement this slow-down, and the call was made to not alert the users. Why? Who wouldn't want to know their device was slowing and they could fix it for a relatively small amount of money? Ignorance is bliss when it involves new phone sales, apparently.
This is a good-will move, but trying to repair a bad-will one. If they'd done it right in the first place, it could have been a feature and all positive (except it might have delayed upgrading...).
The average person... or even the technical among us, would have just added the imposed slowing to our knowledge about OS and software also having this impact... and would have likely just upgraded. I had never thought to replace the battery on any of my older iDevices, though they were all pre this intentional slowing.
This is minor in the big picture, but I suppose it's way more visible to the average person than the more serious stuff. Add some MSM spin, and viola! Black eye for Apple.