Apple's wait times for iPhone battery replacements actually increasing, says analyst

AppleInsider · February 27, 2018 6:26PM

Even though Apple's iPhone battery replacement discounts are no longer in the news, and the company has theoretically had time to ramp up supply, wait times for replacements have actually worsened in the past few weeks, according to Barclays research.

While wait times typically fell between 2 and 4.5 weeks around the beginning of February, the average is now 3 to 4.5 weeks, said Barclays analyst Mark Moskowitz, citing checks with Apple stores. The main culprits are said to be iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus owners, some of the most likely to be impacted by iOS battery throttling.

One store estimated waits between 9 and 10 weeks, or over two months for the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus batteries.

AppleInsider spot checks showed a similar situation, with iPhone SE and iPhone 7 batteries available on the spot, and an average of 4.5 weeks for an iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus battery. Availability of iPhone 6s family devices batteries varied wildly between immediately available and six weeks out.

In the wake of its admission that it slows down iPhones with chemically depleted or aged batteries, Apple dropped the price of out-of-warranty battery replacements from $79 to $29 through the end of 2018. It has also promised control and monitoring of throttling in iOS 11.3, with the feature currently in the beta releases.

Apple's battery replacement program continues throughout all of 2018.

On top of negative publicity, Apple is also facing government scrutiny and multiple lawsuits over its policies. In France the company is coping with accusations of so-called "planned obsolescence".

zoetmb · February 27, 2018 6:44PM

My iPhone6 definitely seems far slower, but it's slower even when the battery is fully charged. I don't think this has anything to do with throttling the device when the battery is low (although I do want to get that $29 replacement), but it seemed to have started with the last iOS update. Everything on the device reacts slower - key presses, etc.

lkrupp · February 27, 2018 7:02PM

zoetmb said:

My iPhone6 definitely seems far slower, but it's slower even when the battery is fully charged. I don't think this has anything to do with throttling the device when the battery is low (although I do want to get that $29 replacement), but it seemed to have started with the last iOS update. Everything on the device reacts slower - key presses, etc.

I have an iPhone 6 and experience no such slow downs. Apps load more slowly but once active everything is fine. To me it is an expected fact of life that as the operating system gets more features and functions older hardware starts to lag under the horsepower requirements. I had a 2008 24” iMac that got a little slower with each macOS update until Mavericks made it almost too much to accept. That’s when I bought my current Late 2013 27” iMac and ordered it with an I7 Haswell 3.5Ghz processor. Here it is five years later and High Sierra still runs wicked fast on it. I think the same will be true of iOS. The new A10 and A11 phones will be able to handle future iOS version better than the iPhone 6.

There’s no evil Apple conspiracy, no intentional planned obsolescence, just the march of progress and the dancing between hardware and software to remain functional.

mavemufc · February 27, 2018 7:04PM

I didn't actually think there would be that many people bothering to go for one.

sflocal · February 27, 2018 7:20PM

zoetmb said:

My iPhone6 definitely seems far slower, but it's slower even when the battery is fully charged. I don't think this has anything to do with throttling the device when the battery is low (although I do want to get that $29 replacement), but it seemed to have started with the last iOS update. Everything on the device reacts slower - key presses, etc.

lkrupp said:

zoetmb said:

My iPhone6 definitely seems far slower, but it's slower even when the battery is fully charged. I don't think this has anything to do with throttling the device when the battery is low (although I do want to get that $29 replacement), but it seemed to have started with the last iOS update. Everything on the device reacts slower - key presses, etc.

I have an iPhone 6 and experience no such slow downs. Apps load more slowly but once active everything is fine. To me it is an expected fact of life that as the operating system gets more features and functions older hardware starts to lag under the horsepower requirements. I had a 2008 24” iMac that got a little slower with each macOS update until Mavericks made it almost too much to accept. That’s when I bought my current Late 2013 27” iMac and ordered it with an I7 Haswell 3.5Ghz processor. Here it is five years later and High Sierra still runs wicked fast on it. I think the same will be true of iOS. The new A10 and A11 phones will be able to handle future iOS version better than the iPhone 6.

There’s no evil Apple conspiracy, no intentional planned obsolescence, just the march of progress and the dancing between hardware and software to remain functional.

Well, my iPhone 6+ IS dog-slow, especially after upgrading to iOS11. And I'm not referring to specific apps, but in basic stuff. Entering text is painfully slow at times in Safari, and it intermittently stalls, jumping from app-to-app, going from portrait-to-landscape and vise-versa is a trial of patience.

It's strange, because my girlfriend also has an iPhone6 and hers is fast as new, and we're both at the same iOS levels. She actually complains as to how slow it is when she borrows my phone to check something quickly.

Most of this is when the battery is at full charge too. I know it's not an Apple conspiracy. I don't feed into that, but there is something else going on. Perhaps my phone has something physically wrong with it and the OS is simply trying to work around it, or maybe the battery is just so old, I don't know.

I know a few that have similar problems on their iP6, I also know many that don't. It would just be nice to have a clear, concise reason as to why. I question whether installing a new battery is even going to make a difference. I don't want to wait weeks to get a new one, so I'm considering buying a new phone just so I can get some peace. I have had it for 3.5 years so it's done me well.

rogifan_new · February 27, 2018 7:24PM

I can confirm this. My sister went to an Apple store this weekend and they told her it would be weeks before they have new batteries in stock.

rogifan_new · February 27, 2018 7:33PM

lkrupp said:

zoetmb said:

My iPhone6 definitely seems far slower, but it's slower even when the battery is fully charged. I don't think this has anything to do with throttling the device when the battery is low (although I do want to get that $29 replacement), but it seemed to have started with the last iOS update. Everything on the device reacts slower - key presses, etc.

I have an iPhone 6 and experience no such slow downs. Apps load more slowly but once active everything is fine. To me it is an expected fact of life that as the operating system gets more features and functions older hardware starts to lag under the horsepower requirements. I had a 2008 24” iMac that got a little slower with each macOS update until Mavericks made it almost too much to accept. That’s when I bought my current Late 2013 27” iMac and ordered it with an I7 Haswell 3.5Ghz processor. Here it is five years later and High Sierra still runs wicked fast on it. I think the same will be true of iOS. The new A10 and A11 phones will be able to handle future iOS version better than the iPhone 6.

There’s no evil Apple conspiracy, no intentional planned obsolescence, just the march of progress and the dancing between hardware and software to remain functional.

When updating the software degrades the experience to where there is noticeable lag (and I’ve experienced it using others iPad minis) then perhaps those devices shouldn’t have received the OS update. Maybe Apple needs to think about offering security or bug fix only updates for older hardware. No they won’t be able to crow during a keynote about most of their users being on the latest software but that percentage has been declining anyway. According to App Store stats 35% of devices are currently running iOS 10 or earlier. One one of John Gruber’s podcasts he said during new OS development someone at an executive level (like Federighi or Schiller) should have to use an older device as their main device running the new software and only if they’re satisfied should the older device be eligible to run that OS. I’ve got to believe there’s a way for Apple to provide critical bug fixes or security patches to a year old OS and keep older devices on that OS. I’m sure users would take a lag free device over some newer features they might not get.

78Bandit · February 27, 2018 7:48PM

I've got an iPhone 6 Plus and it runs extremely slow. My go-to app is OneNote and it takes 20+ seconds to start up. I've also noticed significant pauses as web pages and email messages load. It will be interesting to see what the 11.3 battery data shows, but I think mine is being throttled by half. I'll get mine replaced shortly but the nearest Apple store is 60 miles away and it will be a pain to schedule around these delays.

I'm going to get something new this fall so the IP6+ will be relegated to backup status and as my exercise monitor. I figure the new battery ought to last at least three years considering my current backup iPhone 5 only gets charged about once per month.

WmH · February 27, 2018 8:21PM

I have a iPhone 6+ and had my battery replaced couple weeks ago, has not made a bit of difference to the operating system at all, slower than hell so this battery kirfuckal is a blind to what they have done!! Throttling is the issue not the frickin batteries they say is causing the slow down!!! 👎🏻👎🏻👎🏻This message coming from Red Deer, Alberta!!!

Mike Wuerthele · February 27, 2018 8:24PM

WmH said:

I have a iPhone 6+ and had my battery replaced couple weeks ago, has not made a bit of difference to the operating system at all, slower than hell so this battery kirfuckal is a blind to what they have done!! Throttling is the issue not the frickin batteries they say is causing the slow down!!! ߑﻰߏ밟ᎰThis message coming from Red Deer, Alberta!!!

Actual data says otherwise. No doubt that a new OS puts heavier demands on older hardware, but benchmarks prove that an iPhone 6 Plus with a fully functional battery moves bits from register to register just as fast as it always has.

Rayz2016 · February 27, 2018 10:08PM

rogifan_new said:

lkrupp said:

zoetmb said:

My iPhone6 definitely seems far slower, but it's slower even when the battery is fully charged. I don't think this has anything to do with throttling the device when the battery is low (although I do want to get that $29 replacement), but it seemed to have started with the last iOS update. Everything on the device reacts slower - key presses, etc.

I have an iPhone 6 and experience no such slow downs. Apps load more slowly but once active everything is fine. To me it is an expected fact of life that as the operating system gets more features and functions older hardware starts to lag under the horsepower requirements. I had a 2008 24” iMac that got a little slower with each macOS update until Mavericks made it almost too much to accept. That’s when I bought my current Late 2013 27” iMac and ordered it with an I7 Haswell 3.5Ghz processor. Here it is five years later and High Sierra still runs wicked fast on it. I think the same will be true of iOS. The new A10 and A11 phones will be able to handle future iOS version better than the iPhone 6.

There’s no evil Apple conspiracy, no intentional planned obsolescence, just the march of progress and the dancing between hardware and software to remain functional.

When updating the software degrades the experience to where there is noticeable lag (and I’ve experienced it using others iPad minis) then perhaps those devices shouldn’t have received the OS update.

And then of course, you'd be here complaining that your five-year-old phone that Apple was trying to force you to buy a new phone to get hold of the latest features.

macxpress · February 27, 2018 10:44PM

Rayz2016 said:

rogifan_new said:

lkrupp said:

zoetmb said:

My iPhone6 definitely seems far slower, but it's slower even when the battery is fully charged. I don't think this has anything to do with throttling the device when the battery is low (although I do want to get that $29 replacement), but it seemed to have started with the last iOS update. Everything on the device reacts slower - key presses, etc.

I have an iPhone 6 and experience no such slow downs. Apps load more slowly but once active everything is fine. To me it is an expected fact of life that as the operating system gets more features and functions older hardware starts to lag under the horsepower requirements. I had a 2008 24” iMac that got a little slower with each macOS update until Mavericks made it almost too much to accept. That’s when I bought my current Late 2013 27” iMac and ordered it with an I7 Haswell 3.5Ghz processor. Here it is five years later and High Sierra still runs wicked fast on it. I think the same will be true of iOS. The new A10 and A11 phones will be able to handle future iOS version better than the iPhone 6.

There’s no evil Apple conspiracy, no intentional planned obsolescence, just the march of progress and the dancing between hardware and software to remain functional.

When updating the software degrades the experience to where there is noticeable lag (and I’ve experienced it using others iPad minis) then perhaps those devices shouldn’t have received the OS update.

And then of course, you'd be here complaining that your five-year-old phone that Apple was trying to force you to buy a new phone to get hold of the latest features.

Planned obsolescence!

atomic101 · February 27, 2018 11:00PM

sflocal said:

zoetmb said:

My iPhone6 definitely seems far slower, but it's slower even when the battery is fully charged. I don't think this has anything to do with throttling the device when the battery is low (although I do want to get that $29 replacement), but it seemed to have started with the last iOS update. Everything on the device reacts slower - key presses, etc.

lkrupp said:

zoetmb said:

My iPhone6 definitely seems far slower, but it's slower even when the battery is fully charged. I don't think this has anything to do with throttling the device when the battery is low (although I do want to get that $29 replacement), but it seemed to have started with the last iOS update. Everything on the device reacts slower - key presses, etc.

I have an iPhone 6 and experience no such slow downs. Apps load more slowly but once active everything is fine. To me it is an expected fact of life that as the operating system gets more features and functions older hardware starts to lag under the horsepower requirements. I had a 2008 24” iMac that got a little slower with each macOS update until Mavericks made it almost too much to accept. That’s when I bought my current Late 2013 27” iMac and ordered it with an I7 Haswell 3.5Ghz processor. Here it is five years later and High Sierra still runs wicked fast on it. I think the same will be true of iOS. The new A10 and A11 phones will be able to handle future iOS version better than the iPhone 6.

There’s no evil Apple conspiracy, no intentional planned obsolescence, just the march of progress and the dancing between hardware and software to remain functional.

Well, my iPhone 6+ IS dog-slow, especially after upgrading to iOS11. And I'm not referring to specific apps, but in basic stuff. Entering text is painfully slow at times in Safari, and it intermittently stalls, jumping from app-to-app, going from portrait-to-landscape and vise-versa is a trial of patience.

It's strange, because my girlfriend also has an iPhone6 and hers is fast as new, and we're both at the same iOS levels. She actually complains as to how slow it is when she borrows my phone to check something quickly.

Most of this is when the battery is at full charge too. I know it's not an Apple conspiracy. I don't feed into that, but there is something else going on. Perhaps my phone has something physically wrong with it and the OS is simply trying to work around it, or maybe the battery is just so old, I don't know.

I know a few that have similar problems on their iP6, I also know many that don't. It would just be nice to have a clear, concise reason as to why. I question whether installing a new battery is even going to make a difference. I don't want to wait weeks to get a new one, so I'm considering buying a new phone just so I can get some peace. I have had it for 3.5 years so it's done me well.

Get the battery replacement. Or at least run a benchmark or utility app like Geekbench or CPUDasherX. Conspiracy or not, what you describe is much what I experienced with my iPhone SE. The apps showed a significant throttling of the CPU, and the phone was a laggy mess. I was contemplating the need for an upgrade.

After replacing the battery, the CPU runs at full clockspeed at all times, and iOS 11 feels smooth and enjoyable.

WmH · February 27, 2018 11:13PM

Mike Wuerthele said:

WmH said:

I have a iPhone 6+ and had my battery replaced couple weeks ago, has not made a bit of difference to the operating system at all, slower than hell so this battery kirfuckal is a blind to what they have done!! Throttling is the issue not the frickin batteries they say is causing the slow down!!! ߑﻰߏ밟ᎰThis message coming from Red Deer, Alberta!!!

Actual data says otherwise. No doubt that a new OS puts heavier demands on older hardware, but benchmarks prove that an iPhone 6 Plus with a fully functional battery moves bits from register to register just as fast as it always has.

Well mine doesnt, it’s very slow in all apps, full battery, half battery, has been this way since the last few major upgrades, so I don’t get where you’re coming from!!! Every App not just a few and typing iMessage crazy lag!!!

Apple's wait times for iPhone battery replacements actually increasing, says analyst

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