Macbook Pro Battery type

That model uses a MacBook Pro 13-in battery for your model year. It is so, so far from any sort of standard part it is not even funny. The multiple lobes of the battery assembly are glued to the underside of the top-case/battery/keyboard/trackpad assembly. Replacing that battery is a rite-of-passage, and the quality of third-party batteries is generally abysmal.

If your Mac is otherwise in good working condition, Apple is very likely to be able to provide battery service for that model for about US$250, complete, with a 90 day warranty of the repair and the part. I recently had the battery in a 15-in 2015 model replaced.

If you know the A---- model number, there will only one battery type for it. I wouldn't recommend an aftermarket battery though. They can be unpredictable and the job is typically really nasty. Most of the newer MacBook Pro batteries are glued into the top case and would require solvents to remove the glue.

However, Apple performs the battery service with an equivalent new OEM battery in a top case swap. As long as your existing top case is in acceptable condition for an exchange, they'll charge a battery replacement price. If the top case isn't in adequate condition, they will perform the service the same as if the top case was damaged.

It's typically on the bottom of the case in tiny laser etched print. There's a difference between several models where the battery layout is different. A2159 should be the 13" 2 Thunderbolt port MPB.

Other World Computing (OWC) does have a replacement battery, but they don't recommend it as a DIY job. I think part of it is using adhesive remover, but this is their warning:

Professional Installation Highly Recommended

Due to the complex nature of this installation, OWC recommends that this battery replacement be performed by a trained professional. OWC assumes no responsibility for damage that may occur during installation.

The way Apple does the work is actually quite fast, but they might not have the part in stock. All they do is swap out the top case, which means nobody in the repair area has to smell all those solvents. Then the top case gets sent to some Apple repair facility that's can refurbish the top case (maybe new keys) and have the battery pulled out and a new one installed, then that goes back as a top case replacement part for battery services or top case repairs.

Brian In Ottawa wrote:

Thank you very much for your response. Very enlightening.

I have another question. The OWC battery, how does it compare to the OEM battery that came with the original purchase in terms of reliability, longevity, performance, safety etc? How does it compare cost-wise? I’d have to find a repair shop that would accept an owner-supplied part and be willing to undertake the work. Given the info you provided, the Apple Store option might be my only option

I would think that a lot of repair shops might order the part for the customer. I'm hesitant to post the link to the OWC battery listing, but I suppose you can figure out where to find it. They list it as (US) $83.99 as of this moment. There are other options. Their kit comes with all the tools needed, solvent, glue, gloves, a suction cup, a spudger, safety glasses, screwdrivers, and a drop cloth.

As far as who makes the ones you might find for DIY or independent shops, I don't really know. Obviously they source it from someone, and the info programmed into the battery electronics may be modified with the name of the seller or distributor and not the manufacturer. And I've heard of batteries where some company just "flashed" the manufacturer as SMP (Simplo) or DP (Dynapack) even if made by another company, although sometimes it could actually be made by those companies, which make OEM batteries for Apple.

Apple now sells top cases for newer Macs for DIY work. But it's even pricier (even with trade-in) than Apple's battery service. I found one for over (US) $500 but maybe $420 after exchange.

Brian In Ottawa wrote:

Very enlightening. When I bought the MacBook Pro, I expected the battery life to extend beyond 4 years and I was blindsided by the complexity involved with the installation of a replacement. Your advice is much appreciated.

Yeah - there doesn't seem to be any particular reason why it's glued in. But since the Unibody MacBook Pro came out in 2008, Apple considers no Mac batteries to be user serviceable. I have one of the Unibodies and have seen the insides when adding memory or changing the drive (all considered user-serviceable by Apple) and there's a warning on the battery to not remove it. I suppose "authorized service" is the implied exception. However, it's just held in with simple tri-wing screws and not glue in. For the life of me I can't figure out why Apple doesn't just sell the battery. But I did recently (within a year) get it serviced at a fairly reasonable price at an Apple Store. I didn't want to take a chance on an aftermarket battery, even where "reliable" sources have to guess about the quality of their suppliers.

That Mac was actually at about 94% battery health when I got it new from an authorized reseller. Nothing I could do about it. I was waiting years for it to hit the magic 80% level but didn't really use it. Less than 150 cycles later it was getting close but finally failed intermittently. Didn't power on at all but it finally turned on during my Apple Store appointment where it also showed that it was below 80%.

But batteries are kind of the weak point in most portable electronics. They can catch on fire if something bad happens and they're subject to random failures that may or may not be safety issues. That's just the way the technology is.