I'm still using my 3GS, but after two years the battery just wasn't holding the charge that it used to. For the last two months, it had been simply shutting off abruptly at 30% battery power or more. Lately it had been shutting off multiple times starting at the 50% mark. It was just becoming so unreliable that I had to get it serviced.
Because the battery is built-in, Apple offers a battery replacement service. For $80, you ship your phone in for service and the battery is replaced and it's shipped back to you. According to information, the service can be arranged an Apple Store.
I went to my local store this morning to arrange for a battery replacement. I didn't want to ship my phone off and be without for a week, so I was hoping that by bringing it in they might be able to just swap it out instead. At first the genius said it would be $150 for an out-of-warranty replacement because he wasn't familiar with the battery replacement service. I asked about it, however, and brought up the page as he went into the back to consult with the manager.
When he returned, he was all set to do a battery replacement. To my pleasant surprise, the plan right off the bat was just to swap mine out for a replacement unit. I'm pretty happy with the experience. Not only do I have a new battery, but since it's refurbished it doesn't show the wear of my old one. The screen is brighter with better color and the buttons are depress more surely (basically QA things that are luck-of-the-draw when getting a new iPhone). Essentially, after two years of use, I got a like-new phone for $80.
I just thought I'd share so people are aware of the service, that way they can get some more use out of their old phones and maybe even get lucky with a new unit like I did.
Because the battery is built-in, Apple offers a battery replacement service. For $80, you ship your phone in for service and the battery is replaced and it's shipped back to you. According to information, the service can be arranged an Apple Store.
I went to my local store this morning to arrange for a battery replacement. I didn't want to ship my phone off and be without for a week, so I was hoping that by bringing it in they might be able to just swap it out instead. At first the genius said it would be $150 for an out-of-warranty replacement because he wasn't familiar with the battery replacement service. I asked about it, however, and brought up the page as he went into the back to consult with the manager.
When he returned, he was all set to do a battery replacement. To my pleasant surprise, the plan right off the bat was just to swap mine out for a replacement unit. I'm pretty happy with the experience. Not only do I have a new battery, but since it's refurbished it doesn't show the wear of my old one. The screen is brighter with better color and the buttons are depress more surely (basically QA things that are luck-of-the-draw when getting a new iPhone). Essentially, after two years of use, I got a like-new phone for $80.
I just thought I'd share so people are aware of the service, that way they can get some more use out of their old phones and maybe even get lucky with a new unit like I did.