iPhone Battery Replacement

@ AbFabDef - @ Duke1942

The operation is starting "worldwide" just now ... and we don't have details (yet), except the only official info provided in this announcement:

A Message to Our Customers - Apple

Apple should give more details in the next few days.

In any case, before making an appointment at the nearest Apple Store or AASP, ask if they have already started the replacement program.

Thanks and regards

Giulio

It is not limited to iPhone 6 models. It includes the iPhone 6 and all later models: 6+, 6S, 6S+, 7, 7+, 8, 8+. Print a copy of this for backup if you need it: A Message to Our Customers - Apple

Especially this paragraph:

Apple is reducing the price of an out-of-warranty iPhone battery replacement by $50 — from $79 to $29 — for anyone with an iPhone 6 or later whose battery needs to be replaced, available worldwide through December 2018. Details will be provided soon on apple.com.

Also note that Apple issued a later clarification that says that Apple will replace a battery whether or not it shows that it needs to be replaced.

MichelPM wrote:

What does a battery replacement have anything to do with a cracked screen?

If someone brings in an iPhone with a damaged or cracked screen, of course, Apple is going to charge extra for that damage repair if they can't get the screen back on.

No one here is talking about damaged screen iPhones get batteries replaced.

Why must you always go off-topic all the time.

How is it "off-topic" when the topic is "iPhone Battery Replacement"? It may be obvious to you, but it's not obvious to everyone else that cracked glass (where the phone otherwise works) incurs an additional repair cost in order to replace the battery. There are bound to be people (perhaps reading this topic) who might walk into an Apple Store with an appointment to replace a 6 Plus battery, and then balk when told that $29 battery service now requires a full-retail $169 glass replacement service. I've read about it and heard it from an Apple Store employee, but Apple doesn't mention it in their main iPhone battery replacement pages.

iPhone Battery & Power - Official Apple Support

iPhone Service Answer Center - Apple Support

So anyone with a cracked screen who just "lives with it", think about the additional cost before getting an appointment to replace the battery.

AbFabDef wrote:

I did the same, though there is an Apple store in town. Also "they" told me I have an iPhone 6s and it didn't qualify anyway. Well. I have a 6. So what next.

iPhone 6s absolutely does quailify for battery replacement in case anyone reads your post and gets the wrong information.

Just to share my experience with the board. I have a iPhone 6. Battery never lasts through day and is often near dead by noon . I called Apple support to participate in replacement program and they insisted on running a diagnostics test. Based on the test results they said my battery was fine and a replacement would not change anything. After I insisted they reluctantly reserved a battery for me at our local Apple store. At the store I was forced again to do a battery analysis and again told authoratativaly that a replacement battery “ will not last longer or speed up...” my phone. At my insistence the battery was replaced. It is 4pm now, I have been using my phone all day on a single charge and am still in the 80%. Also, my phone seems more robust.

Apple Stores are supposed to do the iPhone 6 and later battery replacement no matter what and without testing out the battery.

Maybe that store is NOT aware of Apple's current iPhone reduced price battery replacement program, yet.

Could be but the phone support did the same thing. Irs become so hard to deal with Apple lately. Can’t even get a Genius Bar appointment without jumping through hoops. I hoe they straighten themselves out!

I just spoke to Apple Support, attempting to setup an appointment for battery replacement on iPhone 7 and SE.

I was told the program is limited to iPhone 6 models. Has anyone else encountered this? Apple's Company Statement released Dec. 28, '17 specifically says the program applies to "iPhone 6 or later." Media (iMore, 9to5Mac, Washington Post) all state same thing.

After my own experience, reading these confirmatory posts just deepen my suspicion that Apple is intentionally trying to not honor their promise . If anyone from Apple reads these things please know that this battery fiasco is not being handled well and it is my belief that it’s going to cause a lot of consumers to pause before purchasing their next phone. iPhones were innovative and unique ten years ago but today don’t offer much you can’t get elsewhere. Careful Apple!

Apple has thousands of people who answer the phone. Some are better at their jobs than others.

Now think about the logistics of suddenly, without warning, getting a HALF a BILLION batteries deployed to Apple stores around the world. (That's roughly the number of phones eligible for battery replacement). Not to mention manufacturing the 8 different kinds of batteries. And finding enough technicians to install them. And finding enough workspace for those technicians to do their jobs. Or the time to do it. Based on having replaced a 4S battery myself recently, I would guess it would take about 15 minutes per battery. That's 4 batteries an hour per technician. Or about 40 in a workday with overtime. Doing the math, that's 12 million staff hours of work. Apple has committed to complete it in one year. Let's assume about 2,000 hours a year per technician, a figure that most HR departments would find reasonable. So you now need over 6,000 trained technicians to meet this goal. In addition to the current technician staff in Apple stores (you can't stop the other repairs done in stores to just deal with battery replacements).

Terry789 wrote:

I made an appointment to get a new iPhone 6s battery on Nashville but I was informed they don’t have the batteries in yet. Anyone know if this is happening elsewhere?

It likely is. Apple publicly said recently that they are just ramping up with battery supplies and in particular, the 6s batteries may not be in stock until March.

Some people (not directed at you, btw.) have unrealistic expectations that Apple all of the sudden had millions upon millions of batteries just sitting on a shelf. They just announced this reduced price battery program. They're extending the program through ALL of 2018. Give them a chance to get batteries in stock before throwing daggers at them.

The folks who have waited months and months and months for the Takata airbag replacements from their recall they got more than a year ago would be amused about this. Stock of airbags is still not up to the level required to fix all the cars that were recalled. And I'd wager that having a safe airbag is far more important to the safety of people than a new battery in a cell phone.

MichelPM wrote:

Apple Stores are supposed to do the iPhone 6 and later battery replacement no matter what and without testing out the battery.

Maybe that store is NOT aware of Apple's current iPhone reduced price battery replacement program, yet.

From what's been reported, it's one chance to get the $29 service without the battery failing the diagnostic. If it fails (under 80% new capacity) they'll replace it for the offer price in 2018. So anyone will be disappointed if hoping to get a new battery, then another one before the end of the year. That's unless someone can manage to get a battery to be under 80% health by the end of the year.

If your screen is cracked, they're going to charge for the glass repair because they can't press the front in place without intact glass.

rbrylawski wrote:

Terry789 wrote:

I made an appointment to get a new iPhone 6s battery on Nashville but I was informed they don’t have the batteries in yet. Anyone know if this is happening elsewhere?

It likely is. Apple publicly said recently that they are just ramping up with battery supplies and in particular, the 6s batteries may not be in stock until March.

Some people (not directed at you, btw.) have unrealistic expectations that Apple all of the sudden had millions upon millions of batteries just sitting on a shelf. They just announced this reduced price battery program. They're extending the program through ALL of 2018. Give them a chance to get batteries in stock before throwing daggers at them.

It's not necessarily a great idea having that many lithium batteries on hand. They're known to lose capacity simply by aging without being used (along with self-discharge), so keeping around supplies of unused batteries for two years isn't such a great idea. One made recently is likely to have more capacity than one stockpiled for two years. And deep discharge is a possibility.

It wouldn't be that bad if lithium rechargeable batteries were recharged in storage to 50%, but who's going to do that? The only industry where I've heard of something similar is for lead-acid batteries, where it's done to prevent sulfation.

What does a battery replacement have anything to do with a cracked screen?

If someone brings in an iPhone with a damaged or cracked screen, of course, Apple is going to charge extra for that damage repair if they can't get the screen back on.

No one here is talking about damaged screen iPhones get batteries replaced.

Why must you always go off-topic all the time.

Might need to wait a week though. I've looked at making an appointment, and I'll get availability for several nearby stores. I happen to live in an area with the highest concentration of Apple Stores anywhere, but I realize not everyone does.