AppleCare+ Battery Replacement/Swap

[thelatinist]

I've got a nearly two-year old iPhone 4S with AppleCare+ that has treated me very well, but I am of course getting significantly reduced battery life after hundreds of cycles. Has anyone tried swapping out such a phone at an Apple store under the AppleCare+ plan? Did they give you any hassle about it? I'd like to take care of it before my AppleCare+ plan runs out.

 

[kylera]

I've got a nearly two-year old iPhone 4S with AppleCare+ that has treated me very well, but I am of course getting significantly reduced battery life after hundreds of cycles. Has anyone tried swapping out such a phone at an Apple store under the AppleCare+ plan? Did they give you any hassle about it? I'd like to take care of it before my AppleCare+ plan runs out.

Doesn't AppleCare+ only cover accidental damages? Battery discharge isn't accidental unless you're hemorrhaging the charge.

 

[thelatinist]

Doesn't AppleCare+ only cover accidental damages? Battery discharge isn't accidental unless you're hemorrhaging the charge.

AppleCare+ extends the factory warranty to two years as well as providing accidental damage coverage with a $49 deductible. According to the website:

AppleCare+provides repair or replacement coverage, both parts and labor, from Apple-authorized technicians. Service coverage includes the following:
Your iPhone
Battery
Included earphones and accessories
Coverage for up to two incidents of accidental damage from handling, each subject to a $49 service fee plus applicable tax.1

Which reminds me, I should probably get the earphones that are falling apart replaced.

 

[kylera]

AppleCare+ extends the factory warranty to two years as well as providing accidental damage coverage with a $49 deductible. According to the website:



Which reminds me, I should probably get the earphones that are falling apart replaced.

Right, but what I'm saying is that batteries naturally lose their charge, so unless the rate at which your battery was losing the charge is abnormal, you're not going to get a free replacement under warranty.

 

[Chris092881]

Right, but what I'm saying is that batteries naturally lose their charge, so unless the rate at which your battery was losing the charge is abnormal, you're not going to get a free replacement under warranty.

What if he were to drop his phone and shatter the screen? What then?

 

[ToddH]

If you have had that phone for nearly two years, it's time for an upgrade, iPhone 5 perhaps? The battery can't be swapped out, they would have to replace the phone. But like I said, at nearly two years old, unless you like the 4s, I would upgrade.

T

 

[kylera]

What if he were to drop his phone and shatter the screen? What then?

Then coverage would be in his favor since that would count as accidental damage, something AppleCare+ covers.

 

[Brian Y]

If you have had that phone for nearly two years, it's time for an upgrade, iPhone 5 perhaps? The battery can't be swapped out, they would have to replace the phone. But like I said, at nearly two years old, unless you like the 4s, I would upgrade.

T

No, they can replace the battery.

 

[Chocolatemilty]

I've got a nearly two-year old iPhone 4S with AppleCare+ that has treated me very well, but I am of course getting significantly reduced battery life after hundreds of cycles. Has anyone tried swapping out such a phone at an Apple store under the AppleCare+ plan? Did they give you any hassle about it? I'd like to take care of it before my AppleCare+ plan runs out.

"During the plan’s coverage period, Apple will replace the battery if it drops below 50% of its original capacity. If it is out of warranty, Apple offers a battery replacement for $79, plus $6.95 shipping, subject to local tax."

From http://www.apple.com/batteries/replacements.html

So, I suppose Apple geniuses run a diagnostic and see if the battery capacity has been severely compromised and see if your phone can be replaced. I'd check to see if there's anything else wrong with the phone that could help you get it replaced if you'd like to get a new one. My 4S is currently having a camera issue with third party apps, but my AppleCare runs til November and its jailbroken, so I'm dealing for now until iOS 7.

 

[scaredpoet]

I've got a nearly two-year old iPhone 4S with AppleCare+ that has treated me very well, but I am of course getting significantly reduced battery life after hundreds of cycles. Has anyone tried swapping out such a phone at an Apple store under the AppleCare+ plan? Did they give you any hassle about it? I'd like to take care of it before my AppleCare+ plan runs out.

No, they won't give you any hassle about it, as long as you do this before AppleCare+ runs out.

 

[Mrbobb]

Home come people buy these insurance blah-blah, but don't know what they cover you for?