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After being pressured by the Foundation for Consumer and Taxpayer Rights, Apple finally released details about iPhone’s battery replacement procedure, and to some people it is clear why the company kept a secret in the first place.
iPhone’s battery, which is soldered on inside the device, will cost $79 to replace, plus $6.95 for shipping. The iPhone battery replacement process will take 3 days.
Will Apple give you a loaner iPhone while you wait the 3 days? Of course… for an additional $29. That’s over $100 just to change your iPhone’s battery, which is said to last only 400 charges.
Referring to consumer outrage over the iPhone’s battery replacement cost, iPhone reviewer Walt Mossberg said of Apple: “Some of them might be waking up now, wondering who they got in bed with.”
Will this info stop you from buying an iPhone?
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its not hard at all to replace your battery if it goes bad order a new one and put it in takes like 15 min.
There’s no valid reason for Apple to design the battery to be non user-replaceable. Having a replaceable battery does not make the phone any bulkier or less secure. The argument that the iPhone gets good life now because of its large battery size and that designing it to be replaceable will cut down its runtime doesn’t wash; photos of the internal battery show that it’s not so large that it can’t have its own accessible compartment. It’s not like the battery is integrated/molded into every available nook and cranny in the phone.
The pessimists are probably correct in thinking that Apple only wants people to buy new phones every year or so. That’s fine, but a lot of people DON’T want to buy new phones every year; they might be fine with what they have, especially considering that they paid so much for the iPhone to begin with. Whether or not the battery is replaceable will not stop those from buying new phones annually any way, so Apple loses nothing, but it provides a choice for the others.
Apple’s cost for replacing the battery is bad enough, but on top of that it takes up to three days and you don’t even get your own phone back?
Their vaunted design team isn’t capable of designing a battery compartment?? Just like they couldn’t design an expandable memory slot?
What it comes down to is anti-consumerism wrapped around corporate greed. Apple is slapping their customers around and squeezing every dollar out of them, and telling them it’s for their own good. Sadly, a lot of their customers believe it, and even defend Apple’s practices.
Truthfully, Apple has done an excellent job on the iPhone. It offers a good user experience and is unique to every other phone out there, and the design is beautiful. But it’s annoying when small changes which could make a huge difference are intentionally ignored just so an extra buck could be made.
I will not buy an iphone until i can replace the battery just like every other phone ive owned
Greetings, well I am an expat in the Philippines.The warranty for the Iphone expired by two days, anyway I am not looking for free of charge things, so I went to Globe the phone company, yes they can fix but I should restore the phone first, I did and it did not work after 20 hours without using the phone the battery is empty. I went back to phone Alabang Town Center in Muntinlupa City-Metro Manila this time no way they can do something. I read the apple website regarding replacement talk to Globe again, have to send them the print out of the website twice and got following info Replacement 36,000 Pesos that is in real money about 720 US Dollars, repair of battery I don’t know how they do that 260 US Dollars takes 2 weeks. I sent it back to Europe for 60 EURO and get the battery replaced. Bad thing is that they are sucking out customers and in the first place they never know anything in the shops, they are probably born like that on top of that if you happen to be a foreigner you get special treatment, i.e. discrimination because they are special people. Anyway I got the problem solved but for the Iphone it is a very bad reputation if the suckers here do act like that, definitely will not buy any apple product anymore in this country (have 2 computers, 5 Ipods and Iphone). cheers Hans
I actually use my iPhone… I have to charge it constantly or it runs out of juice in less than a day. After 9 months it is really degrading. I will never buy another phone w/o a replaceable battery. The phone is horrible, hard to hear, speakephone is worse, would like to have stereo BT so I could have a decent headset. Can’t wait for the Palm Pre…
Thats just crazy!
I’m contemplating purchasing the extended warranty from Apple, has anyone done this?
Thoughts please. Thanks.
I’ve had my phone for 18 months and it’s in excellent condition, been loving it. However, now the battery will not hold a charge and must remain plugged into my laptop. I’ve searched all of Apple and can find the cost to replace the battery but absolutely no info on the exact process so I can get this done (I have followed every link several times). The honeymoon is over — was fun while it lasted! Also, I’ve really missed MMS/pic messages.
Apple seem pretty generous repairing iPhones at the moment. Walk into an Apple store, tell them it’s broken and there is a good chance you’ll get a replacement. I wonder what it will be like once the warranty is up though.
probably, ur some poor jealous man who is desperate. I have iPhone, and I can’t find any dawn side! it’s not a computer dude, those are just little missings… u just said that best mobile phone sucks. u suck, no iphone.
I agree with Jill. It really sucks I can’t send a pic via text! I must of spent 30 minutes looking through my new 3g Iphone ..asking myself why would it NOT be an option! It’s crazy..GET IT FIXED!
I really hate the fact that I can’t send a picture in a text message and that when someone sends me a picture, I have to stop what I’m doing, write down all of the codes and then try to access it.
Most of the time I do not even bother to look and see what they sent me. It is just too much trouble.
This should be added to the list of 25 things…
I called Apple repair and asked them if I pay for the exrended warrantee,does it include a new battery? Responce was “Yes”.
When I asked if I would get “my” phone back responce was “NO”.
You will get somebody’s phone, not yours.
Thats not right. I’m going to buy the kit then.
There’s a website called ipodjuice.com, and it replaces the iPhone batteries for only $49. Or you can just buy the battery and replace it your self (not recommended) for only $25.
Only 400 charges!! I didn’t know phone batterys worked like that anyways does this also count for the iPod Touch sense they are so similar.
So 400 charges? Let me see, I charge my iphone every other day (sometimes every third day) so I would get at least 800 days of battery life at 100%? Thats over 2 and a half years? Eh, I’m sure I’ll buy a new iPhone by then.
Thanks for clarifying, Chanel.
While there is a battery replacement charge, if you’re still within your one-year warranty, there is no charge. You don’t have to play shipping or for the battery. You would still need to pay for the loaner phone, though.