New Apple tool lets iPhone 6s owners check for free battery swap eligibility

Posted:
in iPhone
People worried about whether their iPhone 6s qualifies for Apple's free battery replacement program can now check directly via the company's website.




Owners must enter their serial number on the program's webpage. The easiest place to find the number is in the About section of the iOS Settings app, but alternately it can be retrieved from a packaging label, or by connecting an iPhone to iTunes and selecting the Summary tab for it.

Affected iPhones were built between September and October 2015, and can potentially shut down without warning, even if they should have plenty of charge left.

To actually obtain a replacement battery, people must contact Apple technical support, an Apple store, or an authorized service provider -- carriers aren't participating in the initiative. If a person has already paid to fix the issue, they can potentially get a refund for their repair costs.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 19
    metrixmetrix Posts: 256member
    I am totally surprised my iPhone 6 still has decent battery life since I often leave it running Dishanywhere overnight 
  • Reply 2 of 19
    I wish there was a similar program for the iPhone 6. Ever since iOS 10, my phone, when battery percentage is below 30%, suddenly jumps down to 0%, and shuts down. Then, after I plug it in and it re-starts, the battery level will immediately jump back to 30-40%. I've re-insalled the system twice, as advised by Genius Barkeepers, but the problem persists.
    rcfa
  • Reply 3 of 19
    mobiusmobius Posts: 380member
    Well I just used that tool and it says my iPhone 6s is eligible for a replacement. Managed to book an appointment. I'm impressed by how quick and easy they have made it.
  • Reply 4 of 19
    mobius said:
    Well I just used that tool and it says my iPhone 6s is eligible for a replacement. Managed to book an appointment. I'm impressed by how quick and easy they have made it.
    Actually, it took them a while. People were complaining about this issue for a fair amount of time. Even now, it is a staged response.

    My daughter's 6s was having this problem: would shut down when the battery reached 40%. When she was home for TG last week, we called Apple support. We were told to install the new iOS update (which had just recently come out, and funnily mentions nothing at all about a battery fix in its features), and report back in a few weeks if the problem persisted. Let's see what happens.

    It is nice to have this serial number check, though. I'll ask her to check it later today.
  • Reply 5 of 19
    dysamoriadysamoria Posts: 3,430member
    Mine is eligible too. The question is whether it needs to be done or not. The requirement to delete all data tells me I might get back a refurb phone rather than my own. I don't want a refurb with potentially worse screen color inconsistency than the one I have now.

    I'm really unimpressed with the 6s + iOS 9.x battery performance compared to my iPhone 4 with iOS 6.x, but I haven't had any spontaneous shutdowns (none that I've noticed at least).
  • Reply 6 of 19
    lkrupplkrupp Posts: 10,557member
    mobius said:
    Well I just used that tool and it says my iPhone 6s is eligible for a replacement. Managed to book an appointment. I'm impressed by how quick and easy they have made it.

    But are you actually experiencing the issue? If not then why do it? Just because? What if you are offered a refurbished 6s, and i expect that’s exactly what this program will be offering?
  • Reply 7 of 19
    1st post since the login-system changed a long ways back.  Logged back in since FB isnt' required.

    We're on the yearly upgrade cycle starting last late-November.

    Several months ago phone would spontaneously shut down from every-higher battery %s.  Now it can do it from 100%, after seconds of use (esp if I try to take a picture).

    I did travel to the Holyoke Mass Apple store a ways back (pre-Apple program) and fight with the manager for 20 minutes demanding a free fix.  Their battery diagnostic reported battery OK so they wouldn't budge.

    They only offered the Applecare $100 phone replacement, and for some reason I got obstinate and outright refused.

    Have lived with it ever since (keep a cable handy at all times now).

    I knew the yearly replacement was coming so haven't acted on the program I learned about a couple weeks ago.

    Exhaustion is a factor here.  Don't have energy to follow up everything I *should* be doing.

    E.
  • Reply 8 of 19
    mobiusmobius Posts: 380member
    lkrupp said:
    mobius said:
    Well I just used that tool and it says my iPhone 6s is eligible for a replacement. Managed to book an appointment. I'm impressed by how quick and easy they have made it.

    But are you actually experiencing the issue? If not then why do it? Just because? What if you are offered a refurbished 6s, and i expect that’s exactly what this program will be offering?
    I have been experiencing it but only intermittently. If I remember to put it on Low Power Mode before it gets to 30% then I'm usually ok. But leave it on non-LPM and dare to use the phone too much then it will just shut down. Majorly annoying and a little bit dangerous if I'm driving and rely on it for emergency calls or even just the Maps app.
    edited December 2016
  • Reply 9 of 19
    spice-boyspice-boy Posts: 1,450member
    lkrupp said:
    mobius said:
    Well I just used that tool and it says my iPhone 6s is eligible for a replacement. Managed to book an appointment. I'm impressed by how quick and easy they have made it.

    But are you actually experiencing the issue? If not then why do it? Just because? What if you are offered a refurbished 6s, and i expect that’s exactly what this program will be offering?
    My iPhone 6s started acting up a couple of weeks ago the day I spotted the article here on AI regarding replacement batteries I took the subway down to the new Apple Store at WTC. They had to order new batteries but after a few days I went back and it was fixed in an hour. They just replaced the battery I got my own phone back. 
  • Reply 10 of 19
    mobius said:
    Well I just used that tool and it says my iPhone 6s is eligible for a replacement. Managed to book an appointment. I'm impressed by how quick and easy they have made it.

    Me too.  Let's hope the in-person appointment is quick and easy too.
  • Reply 11 of 19
    lkrupp said:
    mobius said:
    Well I just used that tool and it says my iPhone 6s is eligible for a replacement. Managed to book an appointment. I'm impressed by how quick and easy they have made it.

    But are you actually experiencing the issue? If not then why do it? Just because? What if you are offered a refurbished 6s, and i expect that’s exactly what this program will be offering?

    I don't expect they'll swap hardware (except the battery), but if they do I'd personally be fine with that.  My home button is a bit sticky, so that would likely be an improvement.  More importantly, a new battery is going to be better than the 15-month old battery that's starting to show its age.  I think my phone exhibits the problem, but not as bad as others have mentioned.  Occasionally, mine will shut down from around 20% or less.  That's annoying, but I just attributed it to the battery gauge being overly optimistic.  In any case, I'm glad to get a new battery (2 days after I asked my wife to get my an extended battery case for Christmas so I can use my phone all day again.)
  • Reply 12 of 19
    lkrupp said:
    mobius said:
    Well I just used that tool and it says my iPhone 6s is eligible for a replacement. Managed to book an appointment. I'm impressed by how quick and easy they have made it.

    But are you actually experiencing the issue? If not then why do it? Just because? What if you are offered a refurbished 6s, and i expect that’s exactly what this program will be offering?
    Why not get a new battery if they're offering?
  • Reply 13 of 19
    anomeanome Posts: 1,533member
    aenghus said:
    I wish there was a similar program for the iPhone 6. Ever since iOS 10, my phone, when battery percentage is below 30%, suddenly jumps down to 0%, and shuts down. Then, after I plug it in and it re-starts, the battery level will immediately jump back to 30-40%. I've re-insalled the system twice, as advised by Genius Barkeepers, but the problem persists.


    Take it in to a Genius Bar, if there's one near you. I had this problem with my 6 (on iOS 9). The first time I spoke to a Genius about it, they said it was software, but the proposed total restore didn't fix it, so I took it back a week or so later and that Genius just replaced the battery for no cost. (It was out of Apple Care, but under Australian Consumer Law, they are obliged to fix some things for up to two years or more.)

    I've thought it odd they're only talking about the 6S, since, as I said, I had exactly the same problem with my iPhone 6, and from what I've heard since then I'm not alone. (Although, where were they all when I was having the problem? I found very little online about it at the time.)

    aenghus
  • Reply 14 of 19
    rcfarcfa Posts: 1,124member
    aenghus said:
    I wish there was a similar program for the iPhone 6. Ever since iOS 10, my phone, when battery percentage is below 30%, suddenly jumps down to 0%, and shuts down. Then, after I plug it in and it re-starts, the battery level will immediately jump back to 30-40%. I've re-insalled the system twice, as advised by Genius Barkeepers, but the problem persists.
    Exactly, same here, even before the iOS 10 update...
    aenghus
  • Reply 15 of 19
    SoliSoli Posts: 10,035member
    lkrupp said:
    mobius said:
    Well I just used that tool and it says my iPhone 6s is eligible for a replacement. Managed to book an appointment. I'm impressed by how quick and easy they have made it.

    But are you actually experiencing the issue? If not then why do it? Just because? What if you are offered a refurbished 6s, and i expect that’s exactly what this program will be offering?
    Even if your battery isn't experiencing any issues you will get a better battery simply because it's new, assuming the WHrs are the same. Personally, I'd hold off on this until just before the end of the replacement program if you're not having any problems and then you get a new battery with a better life due to no cycles on it which will be nice for yourself or as a selling point if that's what you plan to do with it.
    SpamSandwich
  • Reply 16 of 19
    fallenjtfallenjt Posts: 4,053member
    dysamoria said:
    Mine is eligible too. The question is whether it needs to be done or not. The requirement to delete all data tells me I might get back a refurb phone rather than my own. I don't want a refurb with potentially worse screen color inconsistency than the one I have now.

    I'm really unimpressed with the 6s + iOS 9.x battery performance compared to my iPhone 4 with iOS 6.x, but I haven't had any spontaneous shutdowns (none that I've noticed at least).
    Uh...what is the serial number is for?
  • Reply 17 of 19
    aenghus said:
    I wish there was a similar program for the iPhone 6. Ever since iOS 10, my phone, when battery percentage is below 30%, suddenly jumps down to 0%, and shuts down. Then, after I plug it in and it re-starts, the battery level will immediately jump back to 30-40%. I've re-insalled the system twice, as advised by Genius Barkeepers, but the problem persists.
    Same issue here on my 6Plus. I've done a complete reinstall of everything and the problem is still there... I wonder if iOS 10 is not to blame though. One of the triggers is launching Siri when passing the 39% bar (instant shutdown), and also the situation you describe.
  • Reply 18 of 19
    mine and my wife's 6S' are eligible, already knew tho as I checked with Apple Support when they first (finally) acknowledged the problem. Trouble is now I have a 140mile round trip to the nearest Apple Store and possibly have to come back to collect it if they can't repair them same day.

    At least in store repair will give us a loaner phone, repair via mail will take a week and no loaner phone provided :(
  • Reply 19 of 19
    My phone was eligible for the battery replacement.  I set up an appointment for the genius bar thinking they'd replace the battery that day.  Nope, they just hung out with me and asked me what the problems were that my phone was having.  Put me on a two week waiting list for a new battery.  2 hour round trip to go sit with an apple dude and talk about how my phone dies.  
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