Apple Initiates iPhone 5 Battery Replacement Program

[Dionte]

Restored to iOs 7, can't wait for my appointment today. I think I'm gonna keep my iPhone 5 now that the battery life will be greatly improved when the 6 comes out and just add it to my account, for $10 on tmobile I get another number with 2.5 gigz of data.

 

[Fant]

I'm not eligible for a replacement, but this particular iPhone 5 that I'm using is about 7 months old and the battery dies in 4 hours.

You are eligible for a battery replacement then under the original 1 year warranty

 

[Lordskelic]

Remember, battery woes can also be software related. I've seen iPhones with perfect batteries have two hour battery life due to issues with the software. A restore and set up as new cleared up the issues.

 

[bsbfan]

Should I do it or not? I am slightly OCD and my Iphone qualifies but they are probably just checking the serial # for the date purchased.

The only reason why I ask as it dying at 20% or lower as only happened twice that I can remember since I had it since launch week. One well more than 2 yrs ago and last night it died at 23% after being completely off for a few days (long story), if I just use as alarm and ocassionally text I can literally get a week out of the battery.

Should I go for this just because of last night's incident or see if it is persistent before I consider? Could last night have been a fluke or?

 

[DipDog3]

I get pretty great battery life but i'm eligible for a free replacement, might take advantage of this service once i've got my iPhone 6 and sell iPhone 5 with this perk. Dunno if i can be bothered or just trade it in and be done with it.

I'm wondering the same. If they will give me $350 for the iPhone 5 when the 6 comes out, I'll trade it in. Otherwise, I'll just keep it.

 

[quecmo]

Irritating

Took my phone in to the Apple store a week before my warranty ended with battery symptoms. I was told there was nothing wrong with it and I should restore it as new because it was probably a software issue. That woked for about a week at which point my warranty was up. Taking the Apple stores word that the battery wasn't the issue I continued to try the battery tips they suggest. When that stopped working I bought a $99 Mophie case. Thanks Apple for admitting the problem only a few weeks from the iPhone 6 launch. I'm looking forward to my iPhone 5 working right for the first time in over a year. Even if it is only for a few weeks until I order an iPhone 6.

 

[chupachup]

My girlfriend's 4s is about 6 months older than my 5. Her's has significantly better battery life and does not have the "sudden shutdown" issue.

I also have a ~3.5 years old iPad 2, and a MacBook Air that's almost 4 years old. Both of these devices still get amazing battery life. So it's not true that all Apple batteries suck - just certain iPhone batteries.

Yea sure.

 

[MacSince1990]

And when producing anything by the millions there is always a few faulty ones, same goes for any phone, that's common sense.

"A few faulty ones" wouldn't warrant replacement program.


No one expects to produce 150 million iPhones and have no lemons. Just like no one expects to produce 150 million lemons and have no lemon lemons.

However, when faulty units make up a real percentage of the product, it then doesn't matter if you've made 100,000 or 100 million, the problem group scales with production size.

I would have thought this was fairly obvious.

 

[hlevolve]

My old iPhone 5 that my wife is now using has this battery problem. It will get to 46% and just cut off at times, sometimes a lower percentage. It's pretty much garbage. The sleep/wake button doesn't work at all and there is no reason that should have ever gone bad because the entire time she has had the phone she lets it cut off by itself using the 1 min auto lock. And to wake it up she uses the home button. I have to say that's pretty crappy manufacturing on the power button because I have seen so many phones with that issue, usually after the 1 year mark. If they have so much pride in how well they manufacture these phones why don't they provide a two year warranty by default and offer an extended one past that :-/

I love the iPhones and I do plan to get the new 6, but by no means will I say the phones I have owned have been perfect. Every one in fact began experiencing these issues after the 1st year. I just deal with them because I like iOS but the hardware problems are very annoying. I also don't know why on the 5 and 5s they went with straight edges rather than curved, straight edges are crap when you hold it in your hand. I guess so you can sit it sideways on a single side on a table? Pffft

Anyway, back on topic her phone is eligible for the battery replacement so at least that problem will be resolved, thank goodness.

 

[cicton]

what a joke this is. mine had the issue and I contacted support 2 months ago to tell them and they said I had to pay $80 to replace it. Since I was out of warrant I said hell with it I'll buy one for $25 off iFixIt and do it myself. Well now I find out about this today so I called them up. They pretty much told me to go pound salt since I did it myself.

Really thinking about putting old battery in and just taking it into the store.

Do it. I worked as a genius for years. All they need is original parts and they'll fix the problem. Good luck

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Too bad they ignore the problems with the iPhone 4S. Same problem: Goes from 20 to 0% in one hour stand-by. All since upgrading to ios 7.

I never upgraded to 5/5S because I think they're ugly. Lets hope the iPhone 6 can convince me with a nice design, no protruding parts and a battery that lasts 24 hours. That's all I ask.

I guess you'll hate the iphone 6 camera then

 

[PaulMoore]

Ok... if is not because Macrumors I would never knew about this replacement. Apple never sent an email.

My iPhone is legible.

I found this very frustrating with the sleep button recall too- Apple know there's a problem but fix it only to the extent that anyone reading sites like this can get theirs fixed

That they could easily reach out to every affected owner but choose not to is very disappointing for a premium product from a company which used to justify pricing with superior customer service

Equally perverse are all the comments on here from people saying how bad their iphone 5 is but in the same sentence that they can't wait to pony up for an iphone 6

 

[Illusion986]

I still have not fixed my sleep/wake button under recall and battery is eligible as well. Can I give them the phone for apple gift card as it was possible a while ago? What would they give for iphone 5 32gb?

 

[ElTorro]

This "very small percentage" is more like a 100%, but whatever. At least they are doing something about it.

 

[juannacho]

Sweet! Looks like I qualify for a new battery AND new power button. Almost makes a new iPhone 6 a bit redundant for me :/

Decisions decisions...

 

[charks]

Just paid out of pocket to have my battery replaced a week and a half ago, so when I entered my serial number it said:

The serial number you entered is not eligible under this program because either:
- It's not one of the serial numbers in the affected range
- Our records show that your battery has already been replaced. If you paid for a battery replacement service, check with Apple to see if you are eligible for a refund.

I called support, and a few minutes later the refund is on the way.

Exact same for me. Apple Store replaced the battery in my wife's 5 last December...nearly 3 months out of warranty. Called support and it took about 10 minutes. Checks in the mail.

 

[OS-SEX]

My iPhone 5 is being serviced right now at the apple store. I'm looking forward to better battery life. Looks like apple normally charges $79 for battery replacement.

 

[JodyK]

Small number ... Sold in a 5 month span???

Does their marketing team really question our intelligence that much?

I have had 2 iPhones replaced for this issue my wives iPhone 5 and mine that was autographed on the back by Atlanta Falcons QB Matt Ryan.

 

[Khryz]

Sorry if this has been asked but how long does this service take? Can they do it right when I'm at the appointment, or do they have to hold it/ship it somewhere and it'll be a week or more with no phone?

 

[OS-SEX]

Sorry if this has been asked but how long does this service take? Can they do it right when I'm at the appointment, or do they have to hold it/ship it somewhere and it'll be a week or more with no phone?

It takes 45 minutes to be done at an apple store, as long as they have the parts, which they should.

 

[JoEw]

Called and got my battery replacement refunded, maybe Tim Cook read my email blasting Apple for not addressing this earlier.

 

[bobobenobi]

Small number ... Sold in a 5 month span???

Does their marketing team really question our intelligence that much?

I understand this might be a difficult concept to grasp, but please bear with me. It is likely that only some percentage of phones made in that five month span are affected. Perhaps the bad batteries came from a single run from one of the battery suppliers. Perhaps a single person on the assembly line was doing something wrong over a period of several months. There are many reasons that could cause a small percentage of devices over five months to be affected.

 

[576316]

Urgh. Girlfriend's device not eligible but showing all the symptoms described!!

 

[cube]

Integrated battery = FAIL

 

[robot prom]

Just got off the phone with Apple, I have an eligible phone that is displaying the symptoms. If your phone is out of warranty (whose iPhone 5 is still under warranty?), then they'll just replace the battery and not do a phone swap. You can either send it off or have it done in store at an Apple Store.

 

[jaybar]

I had my battery replaced yesterday at the west 14th NYC store. My phone is still under apple care and I think this was before the program was announced. The repair took an hour. I could not wait and elected to return for pickup. I was told to return to the repair pickup area, on the third floor at the back of the store and just present my receipt.

However, the store needs a more coordinated service operation. I went to the back of the store, on the third floor, as instructed. There was no designated pickup area. I handed my receipt to staff sitting at the back table. They were unaware. They sent me to the front to "check in". Check in was unaware. Two managers needed to get involved. I understand, why it may not be possible to instantly effect the repair, but if you elect to return post-service, then pickup should be far easier.