No tech embracing person is against evolution, but handicapping exististing equipment with unoptimized software updates, replacing proven solutions prematurely with immature ones, and preventing hardware maintenance, is inconsiderate, self-serving, and and—in the example of Apple’s stealth throttling patch—vandalism.
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Apple Replaced 11 Million iPhone Batteries in 2018, Up From 1 to 2 Million
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No tech embracing person is against evolution, but handicapping exististing equipment with unoptimized software updates, replacing proven solutions prematurely with immature ones, and preventing hardware maintenance, is inconsiderate, self-serving, and and—in the example of Apple’s stealth throttling patch—vandalism.
What do you mean “would get cancelled”? I set up an appointment 4 or 5 days ahead of time and got a battery replaced on the 28th at the Easton Apple Store in Columbus, OH on my way back home from our family Christmas. Also scheduled one to be sent in to be replaced for an old 6s my wife used. Sent it in on the 31st and got it back last Friday.
There is much frustration with Apple that can be justified these days, but I don’t believe that Apple was arbitrarily cancelling appointments just to keep from replacing batteries.
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I believe I had received an email from Apple about it at one time a while back. The most likely catalyst, though, I’m guessing, is simply word of mouth. I can identify at least 5 phones belonging to friends that had batterie replaced just because I told them about the replacement program when they were having issues with losing power too quickly.
You may have antennae problems. Nothing related to battery charge.
Which brings to the fore questions regarding the QC of battery replacements.
- will the unit preserve its original IP[xy] water and dust resistance rating?
- will the unit experience internal after-replacement problems due to poor-reassembly?
- will the unit undergo QC testing after-replacement?
- ...
- a lowly-paid "Genius" on the crowded back of an Apple store. Or, alternatively,
- by a random external source hired by Apple under the covers to effect the replacements.
Just a healthy, skeptical view about all this.
You may feel otherwise.
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Guarantee you'll never see another program like this again.
You’re right. The Apple store’s so-called techs are barely qualified or equipped to replace batteries. Imagine how unprofitable the task is. That is why Apple “generously” hands customers “new” units rather than service the affected ones on site.
Even if you wish to replace your battery for any $ amount, Apple won’t accommodate you unless they deem it necessary. And worse, they won’t touch your phone in the future for any reason if a third party, or yourself, replaces the battery. Right To Repair laws are needed to correct that attitude.
It gets the most likes because most people here want to be snarky about Apple and don't really think beyond the first dig.
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I mean, let's not overstate it. There are likely over 1B active iPhones and they replaced batteries on 11M, or ~1%. This was also in all of 2018, not just Q4.
It was an impact, but again, China was over 100% of the revenue shortfall.
That is one way of thinking about it: loss of revenue.
But, not, if Apple conducted risk-analysis, considering:
- a successful class-action suit,
- resulting discovery: email exchanges showing the ugly underbelly of Apple decision making, and not-so-proud answers after questioning executives under oath.
- ...
How much are you being paid to be a shill for the anti-Apple campaign? I know this to be true as much as you know what’s going on within the Apple corporate mindset, i.e. not one bit.
For many of the older iPhones that the discount battery program applies to, it's an easy swap. The batteries are glued, but they use the 3M type stretch strips that easily pull out. Also, I've heard (could turn out to be not true) that if the glue strips break during the replacement process, they won't continue with the swap and they'll give you a refurb unit.
Same experience here with 6s: it hit a point where it would drain normally to around 70% then quickly plummet to nearly drained with little use. iOS battery test reported 86% capacity and the Apple store test said the battery was healthy. They replaced it anyway as it was listed for a free battery replacement due to manufacturing defect. No more flaky battery, yay!
My take away is the iOS battery test and Apple store battery test don't tell you much about actual battery health.
I'd say it's iOS12 that pushed me not to upgrade.
Prior to iOS12, I was already itching for the iPhone XR. Then came iOS12, and then I replaced the battery on my 6S with Apple for free, and wow, it performs like when it was new. I really don't have any complaints other than the overall battery life (couldn't help it as the 6S has the smallest iPhone battery amongst the iPhone 6-8 generations). The only things left that are tempting me to update are the improved camera quality on the XR and the HEIC format, but those didn't tip the point enough.
I really hope Apple sees this as a wake up call to really push on the services. You can only keep selling phones for so long. The only thing that can keep bringing constant revenue form existing customers are services. iCloud and Apple music are a good start, but Apple needs to be more aggressive in this. Things like bundling together the services. or making it easy for users to switch regions, anything. Right now, Apple's model for services are still the same old one since .mac. Heck, they can start by making the iPhone upgrade program worldwide, and offer iCloud and Apple music as additional bundling option. I know I would jump on that if Apple ever offered it in my region. But it seems Apple is still comfortable in their current model of selling premium hardware.
Prior to iOS12, I was already itching for the iPhone XR. Then came iOS12, and then I replaced the battery on my 6S with Apple for free, and wow, it performs like when it was new. I really don't have any complaints other than the overall battery life (couldn't help it as the 6S has the smallest iPhone battery amongst the iPhone 6-8 generations). The only things left that are tempting me to update are the improved camera quality on the XR and the HEIC format, but those didn't tip the point enough.
I really hope Apple sees this as a wake up call to really push on the services. You can only keep selling phones for so long. The only thing that can keep bringing constant revenue form existing customers are services. iCloud and Apple music are a good start, but Apple needs to be more aggressive in this. Things like bundling together the services. or making it easy for users to switch regions, anything. Right now, Apple's model for services are still the same old one since .mac. Heck, they can start by making the iPhone upgrade program worldwide, and offer iCloud and Apple music as additional bundling option. I know I would jump on that if Apple ever offered it in my region. But it seems Apple is still comfortable in their current model of selling premium hardware.
LOL, that's nothing to sue over? The phone has a design defect that causes it to reboot at peak current demands on average-wear batteries, something no other model of phone has ever had on a systemic basis, which Apple tried to hide by pushing out a stealth update to slow the processor to the point of being unusable to prevent peak current, then lied about the reason behind the update, and that's nothing to sue over? Pass me some of that Koolaid you're drinking please.
They do.
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Typical tinfoil hat comment.
People were also sueing about the design flaw that caused your shutdowns and reboots. This has been discussed dozens of times on the forums feel free to read some of those threads for more details.
This is another attempt to totally ignore the fact that the iPhone in it's current state and price isn't competitive anymore. Tim can come up with batteries, people holding longer before upgrading or whatever assumption he has in his pipeline...
Apple has got out of touch with reality. That's the problem.
After Mobile World Congres in februari, this problem will be even bigger!
I don’t believe Apple was trying to handicap existing phones and encourage upgrades with its patch. That outcome would have occurred naturally with units that had defective power management chips. Apple was trying to disguise such a defect because the cost of another product recall would have been costly even to their reputation. The software patch was meant to disguise a hardware defect or flaw with the power management chip. It was not a fix! Otherwise, performance would have returned to a normal baseline!
This isn’t to say that Apple isn’t complicit in forcing unnecessary hardware upgrades. They have been silent about the battery’s role in performance degradation since the phone’s inception. They routinely refused battery replacements to suspecting customers. They refuse to sell OEM batteries to third party parts and repair services.
Apple deserves respect for its engineering prowess, but its character has suffered enormously during the company’s growth. Lawyers and bean counters are running the show.
Do you ever write anything of substance?
Because you attribute your own thoughts to what was said in a poor attempt at a straw man argument.
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Sometimes
I’d rather listen to the tin foil hat wearers than stick my head in the sand with the ostriches. The former are intuitive, while the latter are victims.