Apple Makes $29 Battery Replacements Available Immediately for iPhone 6 and Newer

[deferredAnon]

Yep that is on the list. The 6 was the worst pile they ever made. Poor touch sensor under screen where they removed the bracket and underfill. Only 1 GB of ram, and a weaker aluminum body. All of which was improved on the 6s. A new battery may not fix your problem in its entirety being the device has insufficient memory (one 1 measly GB) to run the newer versions of iOS. Because of this, the device can't perform up to par with modern phones. And is why it hit its end of life earlier then most iphones. If ever there was a reason to buy the "s" version the IP 6 is it. Plenty of design flaws in the 6. I suggest moving on to another device. You can't upgrade ram.

We have iPhone 6 and while it's not the fastest cat in the block, it does okay. We don't play games or other things that use heavy CPU/RAM. Or at least, did okay until iOS 11 and pre throttling. I measured our iPhone 6 using CPU DasherX and we have been throttled 30% at 50% battery charge level. Reducing CPU by 30% is significant in my opinion.

 

[gnipgnop]

I really don't think you understand what is happening here. Geekbench does not create throttling, it measures it!

Apple isn't looking for "large peaks/valleys in power draw". They are looking for a supposed failing battery, and then applying throttling which creates the large peaks/valleys in CPU use, not power draw!

You are blaming the symptom of throttling as the initial problem.

Incorrect. Read this article if you want more detailed information...it has nothing to do with a "failing" battery, but more to do with an aging battery not being as capable of delivering peak voltage to the CPU.

https://techcrunch.com/2017/12/20/a...ones-with-older-batteries-are-running-slower/

 

[justperry]

Yes, the trend is that the A series has become more power efficient relative to processing power. And that may well be the issue with the 6/6S SoC relative to the battery: processing power was ahead of power efficiency, thus the need for the "larger" battery and yet still being more susceptible to peak voltage issues as the battery aged.

Again, peak amperage, not voltage.

 

[deferredAnon]

Incorrect. Read this article if you want more detailed information...it has nothing to do with a "failing" battery, but more to do with an aging battery not being as capable of delivering peak voltage to the CPU.

https://techcrunch.com/2017/12/20/a...ones-with-older-batteries-are-running-slower/

Yes, I suggest you read it too.

The short-form version of what Poole’s benchmarks are showing is the result of a power curve-smoothing algorithm that Apple rolled out last year to mitigate iPhone shutdown issues. I wrote about it here; you can read that and come back.

Basically, iPhones were hitting peaks of processor power that the battery was unable to power and the phones were shutting off. Apple then added power management to all iPhones at the time that would “smooth out” those peaks by either capping the power available from the battery or by spreading power requests over several cycles.
​

You are mixing up the symptom of what Apple is doing with the alleged initial problem.

 

[simonmet]

This is a major scandal. As big or bigger than iPhone 4’s “antenna-gate” because it points to the very ethics of the company rather than being a simple design flaw. For once I think the phrase “Steve Jobs would not have allowed this” seems completely justified.

Apple said (or implied) that its CPU throttling would be rarely seen and not noticed, but that’s not what’s being reported by many users. They’ve noticed significant slowdowns to their device, or conversely, a speed-up with a new battery, presumably even at full charge. It’s as if Apple has not just throttled occasional instantaneous peak loads but under-clocked the SoC permanently until the battery is replaced. If so - and with the pattern of evidence emerging I can’t see how it isn’t - this is not ok!

If a battery has degraded to the point that it can’t power the device at its designed (and marketed) speed without risk of randomly turning off then it needs to be replaced. Apple’s “solution” is questionable at best and when taken in the context of their aggressive stance on third-party battery replacements something smells extremely fishy. As John Poole from Geekbench said: “This will likely feed into the “planned obsolescence” narrative.”

 

[blackdogaudio]

Reading these battery threads one would have thought Apple committed genocide killing millions all over the world when in reality all they did was make a poor business choice which is to throttle a phone with a dying battery to prevent shutdowns without informing the user. Apple's was a poor choice simply based on the fact that it doesn't inform the user who might just buy another brand of phone due to dissatisfaction with a one year old iPhone underperforming. They've just lost a customer possibly forever.

I know this isn't as exciting as a conspiracy but sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.

 

[gnipgnop]

Bold:

Fixed

FYI, it's the peak amperage a CPU needs, if it can't the voltage drops, that one you got right, if the voltage drops too much the phone will shutdown.

Not so sure about that...

https://www.pcworld.com/article/2044751/how-to-overclock-your-new-haswell-cpu-like-a-pro.html?page=2

 

[Piggie]

I cannot believe that anyone here, if Nov 2018 comes, and Apples says they are now going to fit a larger battery to give, let's say an average 2 days power (however that would be calculated)
Apple fans would be up in arms, outraged that they would make such a change.

Apple fans and Non Apple fans would be drawn to a product, which one of the new 2018 selling points was one of it's feature products.

 

[meaning-matters]

Where's that post with the most votes a few hours ago???

 

[gnipgnop]

Yes, I suggest you read it too.

The material you quoted supports my point, not yours. Apple is preventing the CPU from making power demands that the battery isn't capable of supporting. Otherwise, you get an auto shutdown (which users were complaining to Apple about). That's the issue that Apple was addressing, not a strategy to slow down phones to make people upgrade. It's to prevent auto shutdown in specific situations. Geekbench triggers the throttling by artificially loading the CPU to maximum and (as the article clearly states) creates the "peaks and valleys" in power draw that Apple wants to smooth out.

 

[justperry]

Not so sure about that...

https://www.pcworld.com/article/2044751/how-to-overclock-your-new-haswell-cpu-like-a-pro.html?page=2

Let me give a layman example.

You're at home where the temperature is anywhere from 10-25 Degree celsius, you need 1 liter of water a day, you'll be ok.
Now you're in the Sahara where temperature is 50 degrees celsius, you'll still have 1 liter of water, you'll die.
Where the water is constant Voltage and the temperature is the amperage.
Higer amperage and the iPhone shuts down.

I built cabinets for industrial automation and studied electronics, and I don't have to read a link, I know my electronics.

But, when the battery can't deliver the high current the CPU and electronics still DEMAND the current the voltage will drop, voltages only drop when peak currents are higher than than the battery can deliver.

 

[deferredAnon]

The material you quoted supports my point, not yours. Apple is preventing the CPU from making power demands that the battery isn't capable of supporting. Otherwise, you get an auto shutdown (which users were complaining to Apple about). That's the issue that Apple was addressing, not a strategy to slow down phones to make people upgrade. It's to prevent auto shutdown in specific situations. Geekbench triggers the throttling by artificially loading the CPU to maximum and (as the article clearly states) creates the "peaks and valleys" in power draw that Apple wants to smooth out.

Again, Geekbench does not cause throttling because just as you said couple of sentences above: "Apple is preventing the CPU from making power demands that the battery isn't capable of supporting".

This is taking iDefense to a whole another level. Sigh.

When Geekbench measured iPhone 7 before the throttling iOS 11 update, there were no peaks and valleys in CPU use!

 

[gnipgnop]

I built cabinets for industrial automation and studied electronics, and I don't have to read a link, I know my electronics.

I don't doubt it, but peak voltage is the actual issue in regards to the CPU. I misinterpreted your amperage corrections to mean you thought voltage wasn't really what Apple was trying to address.

 

[MH01]

Not so sure about that...

https://www.pcworld.com/article/2044751/how-to-overclock-your-new-haswell-cpu-like-a-pro.html?page=2

Linking to other sites is pointless . You are breaking MR forum rules.

 

[code4life]

One word: ha ha! OK, that was two...

Apple today announced it is making its reduced $29 battery replacements available immediately for iPhone 6 and all newer models.

Apple previously said it would offer the cheaper battery replacements in late January, but it has removed that timeframe from its letter to customers, and has confirmed immediate availability in a statement to TechCrunch.Apple normally charges $79 for out-of-warranty iPhone battery replacements, but it reduced the price by $50 following a wave of controversy over its process of dynamically managing the peak performance of some older iPhone models with degraded batteries to prevent unexpected shutdowns.

Given a lack of nuance in some mainstream coverage, many headlines have fueled speculation that Apple artificially slows down older iPhones to drive customers to upgrade to newer models, but the actual issue was Apple's lack of transparency about the power management changes it made starting in iOS 10.2.1.

When it released iOS 10.2.1 in February, Apple only vaguely said it made "improvements" to reduce occurrences of unexpected shutdowns. It only chose to explain that the changes it made may result in temporary slowdowns on some older iPhone models with degraded batteries after controversy recently reignited.

The issue came into the spotlight in early December after a Reddit user claimed that his iPhone's performance significantly increased after replacing the device's battery. Soon after, analysis of iPhone 6s benchmarks visualized an apparent link between lower performance and degraded battery health.

Apple responded by noting the power management process is a "feature" rolled out to iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, and iPhone SE, but since it didn't fully communicate this change, some iPhone users may not have realized all they needed was a new battery.

Apple said it will release an iOS update in early 2018 with new features that give users more visibility into the health of their iPhone's battery, so they can see for themselves if its condition is affecting performance. It's unclear if Apple will ever let customers opt out of the power management process.

Apple said the cheaper iPhone battery replacements will be available worldwide through December 2018. The $29 fee applies to the United States, with prices varying in other countries based on exchange rates.

To initiate the battery replacement process, we recommend contacting Apple Support by phone, online chat, email, or Twitter, or scheduling a Genius Bar appointment at an Apple Store with the Apple Support app. You can also inquire about a battery replacement with select Apple Authorized Service Providers.

Article Link: Apple Makes $29 Battery Replacements Available Immediately for iPhone 6 and Newer

 

[gnipgnop]

Again, Geekbench does not cause throttling because just as you said couple of sentences above: "Apple is preventing the CPU from making power demands that the battery isn't capable of supporting".

Geekbench triggers the throttling because it creates the large peaks/valleys in power draw that Apple's new software feature is monitoring the system to prevent. Apple specifically states that. The guy that wrote the article for TechCrunch shows why that's true. Note that he specifically says that Apple doesn't deny that Poole's charts are accurate because they're showing exactly what Apple wants to happen when the peaks/valleys are too high.

In other words, Poole's charts prove what Apple is saying, not what you're saying.

 

[justperry]

I don't doubt it, but peak voltage is the actual issue in regards to the CPU. I misinterpreted your amperage corrections to mean you thought voltage wasn't really what Apple was trying to address.

Yes and no, there's no peak in Voltage, a normal Lithium ion cell is anywhere from 2.7x Volts to about 4.2 volts, but nominal is 3.7 volts, it can't deliver more volts than it's designed to or as it is in a certain state.
For instance, when the voltage is 4 volts now, it can't deliver more than that 4 volts, it can deliver more or less amps depending on the usage, voltage will only drop when the battery can't deliver the current the system needs, this is where apples throttling comes in, it lowers the peak currents when the system asks for more than the battery can deliver.

 

[fhall1]

Before this fiasco began, Apple would NOT swap your iphone battery if it tested >80% capacity, even if the customer wanted to pay for it, and going third party voided the warranty -- WTH were people supposed to do then ?

Battery replacement (due to normal battery degradation) usually wasn't necessary during the 1 year warranty period - so going to a third party didn't void anything.

 

[justperry]

I don't doubt it, but peak voltage is the actual issue in regards to the CPU. I misinterpreted your amperage corrections to mean you thought voltage wasn't really what Apple was trying to address.

Sorry if I came over as a jerk, not my intention.

 

[gnipgnop]

Linking to other sites is pointless . You are breaking MR forum rules.

That link is about the relationship between the CPU and peak voltage...which very few people posting in this thread seem to have any knowledge of whatsoever.

 

[Rob_2811]

They aren't just yet. Apple says their throttling code will be used for other devices in the near future. I assume the 8/X.

I'll be watching my iPhone 8 closely. If it gets the throttling treatment at sometime in the near future I will be looking at my options.

I can genuinely say I wouldn't have purchased the phone (or any other iPhone) had this come to light earlier.

Its.the.bit.where.this.is.needed.fairly.soon.in.the.life.of.the.product.which.is.the.issue.

Which is why apple hid it.

Jesus, this thread is like groundhog day

I think we've got some people deliberately muddying the waters in this thread.

People can throw up strawmen, distract and divert the conversation as much as they like but Apple needs to explain why phones that are barely over a year old (iPhone 7) are needing to be throttled to avoid shutdowns.

There might be a debate to be had when discussing an iPhone 6 or 6s but not a 7. I'm still waiting for those that have blindly defended Apple on this to explain that.

The batteries should not be degrading to that extent in fifteen months if they are then answers need to be sought as to why. Any other babbling about battery chemistry, what Samsung would do, whether Android phones slow down over time etc etc is purely background noise.

 

[justperry]

Not so sure about that...

https://www.pcworld.com/article/2044751/how-to-overclock-your-new-haswell-cpu-like-a-pro.html?page=2

I read just a bit of that article, it's not really that relevant here, the AX CPU is already at it's maximum voltage.
I am aware you can control most CPU's with voltage, but you can control lots of electronics with regulating voltage, doesn't always mean it's a good idea though, especially not for resistive loads.

 

[fhall1]

How long would it take for the genius bar to replace the battery?

Watch the videos on Youtube for battery replacement....if it's a 6 or 6s it should take 10 minutes from the time they actually start to open it up.

 

[Ramchi]

Just FYI, My wife has 6 plus for nearly three years. Very extensively used mobile as business mobile never reported any slow down (touch wood....) No Issues so far. Battery seems to be doing good. Is this issue related to cold weather regions? I have kept on upgrading OS until latest! She is refusing to give up and opting out of mobile upgrades!

Out of warranty two years back and never bothered to take Apple Care type protection!!

 

[gnipgnop]

I read just a bit of that article, it's not really that relevant here, the AX CPU is already at it's maximum voltage.

Right, but the ability of the battery to deliver that voltage declines over time.