So ive got the dreaded issue that's happened to a lot of people a swollen battery on my iPhone 6. The screen on the lower left has popped up a bit. There are no open Genius Bar appointments till weeks so I'm going to try a walk in Friday. What do they usually do in my case? Is it $29 for a replacement battery? Do they swap the phone instead?
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iPhone 6(S)/Plus iPhone 6 battery swollen
- Thread starter bobright
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I hope that Apple has an expedited track for folks whose batteries could pose a safety hazard. I cannot imagine the liability if Apple let him walk out of the store with a faulty battery.
If Apple is able to determine that it is a swollen battery, then They will probably issue you a replacement device of some sort, assuming they don’t any batteries in stock.
This. If you pop into an Apple Store and they don't have batteries in stock (very likely due to current constraints), there's a strong possibility you'll be leaving with a 6S as a swollen battery is deemed to be a hazard & needs to be replaced immediately.
I called support early in the battery replacement program, before it was much more than a rumor on the internet. I complained about a slow 6s, my wife’s at 2-1/2 years old. Made an appointment with Genius Bar, took it in for free battery replacement, and they found the swollen battery. They said the battery couldn’t be replaced because it was swollen. They gave us a new 6s.
What a joke they told me it was a bad battery and tried to replace the whole phone for 79 bucks. Uhh no thanks told them why so much when the phone itself is fine and it’s just the battery. I guess they can only replace the entire phone. I told them I’ll just buy a battery and do it myself since the actual phone is fine, he said in his opinion the phones not fine but that were free to do whatever.
In my opinion, you should have let them replace the phone. If you get some third party battery, it probably won't hold very well and you will be right back in the same position. The difference was only $50 for a new phone versus spending $30 plus on a battery and replacing it yourself.
$79 is for battery replacement normally but now for a limited time it’s $29 due to the “battery / performance slow down” fiasco to make immense.
I did a replacement on 6S recently, from time I went into Apple store, the turn around time was 4 weeks. 2 hours to exchange day it arrived due to being so busy.
At OP: sounds like you had a swollen battery perhaps? and they were having to replace the entire phone? Might be as a previous poster mentioned in the thread and they couldn’t get it out figuring you’d never look. I’d make them do it for $29. I personally wouldn’t attempt to do it myself.
Good luck and let us know what happens.
I did a replacement on 6S recently, from time I went into Apple store, the turn around time was 4 weeks. 2 hours to exchange day it arrived due to being so busy.
At OP: sounds like you had a swollen battery perhaps? and they were having to replace the entire phone? Might be as a previous poster mentioned in the thread and they couldn’t get it out figuring you’d never look. I’d make them do it for $29. I personally wouldn’t attempt to do it myself.
Good luck and let us know what happens.
I misquoted the thread topic, my fault. I would have done it for a 6 the phone we took in is an old iPhone 5. He mentioned something about the $29 battery replacement price being only for the 6 and up...is this correct? I didn’t feel it was worth paying 80 bucks for an old iPhone 5 as I’ve seen some 6’s go for as low as $150 unlocked.
We’re looking to upgrade next year so just need this thing to ride out one more year.
Yea, the replacement is for iPhone 6 and up. Given the new info, I agree with what you did.
From personal experience I know that if you bring an iPhone 6 or later with a swollen battery to an Apple Store under the current $29 battery replacement program, they won't install a new battery. Swollen batteries distort the case/display and they cannot be restored to their original condition. Instead Apple will offer you a replacement (white box = refurbished) phone for the price of the battery swap. I was in and out of the store in 20 minutes, 2 or 3 of which were spent with the tech explaining how to set up the phone as "New" for the ride home, and then how to restore the replacement phone with my latest backup when I got home.
With a swollen battery in phones earlier than the 6 YMMV depending on which Apple Store you go to. But in your case the $79 price tag for a refurbished iPhone 5 sounds like a pretty good deal if you just want to get through until the next model launch. Why put out twice that much for a used 6 when an iPhone 5 was serving you well before the battery swelled?
With a swollen battery in phones earlier than the 6 YMMV depending on which Apple Store you go to. But in your case the $79 price tag for a refurbished iPhone 5 sounds like a pretty good deal if you just want to get through until the next model launch. Why put out twice that much for a used 6 when an iPhone 5 was serving you well before the battery swelled?
I heard people are having to wait weeks for batteries due to the demand. I would just swap it out myself. Watch a YT video, order your part from iFixit. Make sure you get the double sided stickers and tools, preferably from eBay so you save a few bucks. You can potentially burn your hand off clean replacing batteries, so be careful, you should be fine though.
Personally, I would rather have an Apple OEM battery. But there’s nothing wrong with replacing it yourself as long as your confident to do it. But I agree, turtorial videos is something that I would resort to when replacing the battery.