Does Apple actually do a battery service (replacement)?

[mikedis]

I think it should be up to the user to determine whether or not a battery 'sucks', and not Apple telling the user he doesn't need one.
If my battery is at - let's say - 84%, and I have to charge it 2 times each day, then for me it sucks, big time.
If I then ask the manufacturer for a paid battery replacement, then they should just do it, without educating me that I don't need it. And refusing to do it.

I'm not arguing against this, to an extent I agree. But I don't think it's fair that the person with an 89% health battery can replace it just so he can bump the price up on his listing when he goes to sell it the next week.

Also, it's great that they send a replacement - but why? A refurbished watch means they are in fact able to replace a battery, so why don't they just do that with my watch, instead of sending me a different one? This would also reduce the need for having complete replacement units available.

Speed, for one. Replacing the watch with a refurb takes a day or two, while opening watches and replacing components takes a lot longer.

For me, there is only one thinkable explanation: they don't send refurbished but new watches, because in fact they can't replace batteries nor parts, or it would be hugely expensive compared to what a user could be requested to pay for 'battery replacement', and/or sending a new one costs them basically nothing, whereas manual refurbishment costs a lot.

I could see Apple having a refurb team trained to work on these watches with specialized equipment. They're annoying to work with, sure, but I've replaced screens myself in just an hour or two with no tools and 5 minutes of looking up how, so it can for sure be done professionally. With how limited run some watch units were, most notably the 18k gold Edition models of which only 20,000 exist, the option to replace them with new ones simply isn't there.

An by means of this 'process', they want to avoid users from getting aware that there is a great method for getting a brand new watch, almost for free.

Yes. See my first quote reply in this message. There needs to be a defined line between what Apple determines needs replacing and what doesn't. That line has to be drawn somewhere, specifically to avoid people getting a replacement just because they want a new watch. Generally, not always, but generally, batteries will act fine up until the 80%ish mark. Apple acknowledges that and will replace it under the mark they deem fitting. Anything above that usually lasts fine. Again, not always, but for most people, that will be fine.

 

[Jared G.K.]

I'm not arguing against this, to an extent I agree. But I don't think it's fair that the person with an 89% health battery can replace it just so he can bump the price up on his listing when he goes to sell it the next week.

Speed, for one. Replacing the watch with a refurb takes a day or two, while opening watches and replacing components takes a lot longer.


I could see Apple having a refurb team trained to work on these watches with specialized equipment. They're annoying to work with, sure, but I've replaced screens myself in just an hour or two with no tools and 5 minutes of looking up how, so it can for sure be done professionally. With how limited run some watch units were, most notably the 18k gold Edition models of which only 20,000 exist, the option to replace them with new ones simply isn't there.


Yes. See my first quote reply in this message. There needs to be a defined line between what Apple determines needs replacing and what doesn't. That line has to be drawn somewhere, specifically to avoid people getting a replacement just because they want a new watch. Generally, not always, but generally, batteries will act fine up until the 80%ish mark. Apple acknowledges that and will replace it under the mark they deem fitting. Anything above that usually lasts fine. Again, not always, but for most people, that will be fine.

you wrote 'speed' as a reason for Apple sending refurbs instead of replacing components, as refurbing takes 1 or 2 days.
Then you say that even you managed to replace screens in 2 hours without proper tools and not being a trained refurb person.

This sounds sort of conflicting?

And I'm talking about a simple battery replacement which, under normal circumstances, should be possible to do in a few minutes by a trained professional with proper tools. Maybe 30 minutes with some analyzing beforehand.

But anyway, I still find it annoying for Apple to tell me that I can't get a battery replacement if I want (or feel to need) one.

 

[mikedis]

you wrote 'speed' as a reason for Apple sending refurbs instead of replacing components, as refurbing takes 1 or 2 days.
Then you say that even you managed to replace screens in 2 hours without proper tools and not being a trained refurb person.

This sounds sort of conflicting?

And I'm talking about a simple battery replacement which, under normal circumstances, should be possible to do in a few minutes by a trained professional with proper tools. Maybe 30 minutes with some analyzing beforehand.

Yeah, I can do it in a few hours. That proves it's possible. I'm sure a trained technician with proper tools could do a much better job in the same amount of time. But I don't think Apple does that. I think Apple has someone disassemble the watch, if it's not automated, then they have machines re-build it, essentially just recycling parts.

For that to be cost effective, Apple needs to do so in batches. Even if there was a guy manually repairing every watch, Apple sells aluminum, ceramic, titanium, steel, and gold watches which all need separate tools and parts across 12 (off the top of my head) different models/generations each sold in multiple sizes. They hold replacements in-house for every single one of those, not even counting the different branded watches like Nike & Hermes, all of which would presumably be repaired manually under this system. The sheer volume of demanded replacements is what makes the repair time take a while. Even with just replacing a watch instead of repairing it, I've had to wait upwards of a week for a replacement to become available. There's a backlog.

 

[Monkswhiskers]

I have an S7 that is on 83% health after 384 cycles. Battery just about lasts the day and it takes only 1hr to charge from dead so there is clearly reduced capacity. This seems bad for a less than 2yr old watch but Apple said come back when it’s below 80%.

 

[mikedis]

I have an S7 that is on 83% health after 384 cycles. Battery just about lasts the day and it takes only 1hr to charge from dead so there is clearly reduced capacity. This seems bad for a less than 2yr old watch but Apple said come back when it’s below 80%.

That's... weird. My Series 5 is at 84%. Granted, I don't wear it daily. Not sure where to check cycles.

 

[jz0309]

I have an S7 that is on 83% health after 384 cycles. Battery just about lasts the day and it takes only 1hr to charge from dead so there is clearly reduced capacity. This seems bad for a less than 2yr old watch but Apple said come back when it’s below 80%.

how do you check cycles?

 

[yurgrenn]

, so i'm giving up on buying one until people start to realize they're overpaying. People still buy them for $500-700

Try monitoring european marketplaces
like

eBay Kleinanzeigen ist jetzt Kleinanzeigen | Kleinanzeigen

Kleinanzeigen: Apple Watch Keramik - Jetzt finden oder inserieren! - kleinanzeigen.de

www.kleinanzeigen.de

there may be reasonable prices even considering shipping expenses

although you'll need a EU phone number
to register there

also worth checking ebay.de
(same login as ebay.com)

 

[yurgrenn]

On topic: There's atleast one case where a guy presumably received back the same ceramic s5 with a new battery
Someone specifically asked him to check the serial and it turned out to be the same

 

[yurgrenn]

There

https://www.reddit.com/r/AppleWatch/comments/xpxzt1/_/iq82a4k

 

[mikedis]

Try monitoring european marketplaces
like

eBay Kleinanzeigen ist jetzt Kleinanzeigen | Kleinanzeigen

Kleinanzeigen: Apple Watch Keramik - Jetzt finden oder inserieren! - kleinanzeigen.de

www.kleinanzeigen.de

there may be reasonable prices even considering shipping expenses

although you'll need a EU phone number
to register there

also worth checking ebay.de
(same login as ebay.com)

Buying from outside the country immediately flags your watch as being incompatible with service here in the US. So I can't get cellular to work if I wanted to, and if I had issues with it, Apple would refuse to service it as it's not a US model.

 

[Monkswhiskers]

how do you check cycles?

There is a shortcut you can get online called battery checker

 

[Eric-H]

There is a shortcut you can get online called battery checker

https://www.icloud.com/shortcuts/0f51b8d3f056493e98b79e1e323c94cd activate Analytics and wait for Analytics from your Watch (takes 24h or longer)
Then open the analytics on iPhone and click share and down under select Battery Checker to read out the Cycles from your Watch.

 

[MacManiac76]

I know for a fact they did a battery replacement only on my Series 6 SS Gold when I sent it in once it hit 79%. It cost me nothing additional as I have AppleCare+ on the watch.