MacBook Air Battery Replacement Trivial?

[MacRumors]

Despite early concerns that the MacBook Air battery is unaccessible to end users, Appleinsider claims that there are no special tools or knowledge required to swap out the MacBook Air's battery.

A standard size-0 type philips is all that's required to open the MacBook Air. The replacement process is described:

Once flipped upside down, the MacBook Air's bottom cover is easily unscrewed and removed, providing immediate access to the battery cavity. From there, the battery can be unscrewed from the chassis with the same screwdriver and unplugged from the circuit board with a simple tug -- it's not soldered to the board.

Given the history of iPod battery replacements, there was some concern that users would be unable to easily replace the MacBook Air battery. Apple has said that a $129 replacement will be available but will require the MacBook Air to be sent in from Apple. If the battery replacement is this easy, however, 3rd party batteries will certainly also be available.

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[Harpo]

A little screwing can go a long way.

 

[Artofilm]

Well... that's one less thing for the whiners to whine about.
Im sure they'll find something to replace it to whine more, though.

 

[mikef07]

What? You mean I have to buy my own screwdriver. That is ridiculous. They should include one. Not to mention that the RAM is soldered so I presume it comes with a solder gun.

Hope people realize I am kidding.

This is good news.

Wishes would be a 3rd party battery that could possibly provide even longer battery life.

The one thing that is holding me back is the lack of a internal cell card or a place to put a cell card. the only thing I would be stuck with is a USB cell card.

 

[Rocket Rion]

Good, maybe the whiney crybabies will shut up. No, that's expecting too much.

 

[apachie2k]

hahaha.... this is good news, i guess. but i'm assuming that the majority of the people using it is for travel, and obviously to make a statement. So while this isn't impossible to remove the battery, it will look kind of odd when the TSA (at the airport) is looking through your bag and sees a screwdriver, and you have to explain its to remove the battery to put another one in... haha how embarrassing

 

[Bensch]

nontheless it will be hard to just swap it on-the-go.

bensch

 

[David G.]

While this news is good it still hasn't changed my mind about me not getting one.

 

[willdenow]

Warranty?

Well... that's one less thing for the whiners to whine about.
Im sure they'll find something to replace it to whine more, though.

As someone who needs a laptop on long flights, I don't see complaints above no user accessible/replaceable battery as whining. If it is indeed as simple as it appears to replace the battery, this will allay my biggest concern regarding the MBA. But only so long as Apple doesn't void the warranty.

I will not be surprised, though, to see Apple make it more difficult to replace the battery on future models (like they did with the user serviceable parts on the iMac) and/or simply refuse to honor the warranty if this turns out to be a revenue stream that Apple covets. After all, if Apple is willing to insult its iPod Touch customers by charging for software it intentionally withheld for a mere $20 per user, I imagine it's salivating over a frequent influx of $129 from its Airbook customers. Time will tell.

 

[Transeau]

Here is another great thing...

If you don't buy one, you can't bitch about it! Gotta love it!

 

[tuneman07]

I am still going to be one of those whiners Great piece of technology and very impressive, but not something that makes any sense to buy.

 

[maverick808]

I don't see how this helps. I travel a lot and often on long plane journeys I go through 3 batteries with my MBP. How am I supposed to perform a MacBook Air battery swap on a plane? Even if I'm in first class with plenty space I'm still not going to want to attempt it.

Also, opening your MacBook Air to perform this swap will invalidate your warranty so it's not really that great a solution.

 

[Crash-n-Burn]

Great, but if it voids your applecare......

 

[SteveG4Cube]

I don't see how this helps. I travel a lot and often on long plane journeys I go through 3 batteries with my MBP. How am I supposed to perform a MacBook Air battery swap on a plane? Even if I'm in first class with plenty space I'm still not going to want to attempt it.

Magsafe airline adapter?

 

[Poll Smoker]

What? You mean I have to buy my own screwdriver. That is ridiculous. They should include one. Not to mention that the RAM is soldered so I presume it comes with a solder gun.

Hope people realize I am kidding.

This is good news.

It voids the warranty, Einstein.

 

[Yankees 4 Life]

people are so stupid to rush to judgement

 

[latestmonkey]

Here is another great thing...

If you don't buy one, you can't bitch about it! Gotta love it!

Clearly you haven't been reading. these guys bitch about stuff they don't even intend to buy or have them as the target audience!

 

[ntrigue]

Is it possible to purchase an extra battery and how much?

Seems reasonable to do this in a hotel room when traveling; I'd be comfortable doing it in flight.

 

[maverick808]

Magsafe airline adapter?

Fine if you can get one. You'll find that on many airlines you'll only get a power socket in first class, particularly if you are travelling outside the US. Sometimes you don't even get one in first class.

 

[GreyHare]

In before someone's 3rd party battery sets their MBA in fire and they blame Apple for it.

Anyone taking bets on how long before this happens?

 

[blashphemy]

Doesn't help the fact that roadwarriors aren't going to want to pull out a screwdriver and void their warranty every day halfway through the day...

 

[Eidorian]

Apple sure loves their Phillips #0 screws.

Most users on the road would like a more easily swappable battery though. It's rather annoying to take the case off.

 

[bigmc6000]

As someone who needs a laptop on long flights, I don't see complaints above no user accessible/replaceable battery as whining. If it is indeed as simple as it appears to replace the battery, this will allay my biggest concern regarding the MBA. But only so long as Apple doesn't void the warranty.

I will not be surprised, though, to see Apple make it more difficult to replace the battery on future models (like they did with the user serviceable parts on the iMac) and/or simply refuse to honor the warranty if this turns out to be a revenue stream that Apple covets. After all, if Apple is willing to insult its iPod Touch customers by charging for software it intentionally withheld for a mere $20 per user, I imagine it's salivating over a frequent influx of $129 from its Airbook customers. Time will tell.

You do realize that Apple makes an airplane power cord that's a hell of a lot cheaper than an extra battery and if you're taking a flight so long that your battery is going to run out I guarantee you there is DC power available under the seat. I have no idea why people keep using the long flight excuse, just buy the adapter and have unlimited power the whole flight!!

 

[eastcoastsurfer]

Fine if you can get one. You'll find that on many airlines you'll only get a power socket in first class, particularly if you are travelling outside the US. Sometimes you don't even get one in first class.

Bingo. My last trip to Tokyo on a fn' new 777 had no power unless you were in first class. I even called ahead to check and the airline said every seat has access to one of those airline power adapters, but no such luck.

 

[bigmc6000]

Fine if you can get one. You'll find that on many airlines you'll only get a power socket in first class, particularly if you are travelling outside the US. Sometimes you don't even get one in first class.

Oh that's a load of crap (at least the US part). MD-80's come with them standard throughout the entire cabin and those are just 2x3's. As I said in another post, if you're traveling in the US and your flight is so long your battery is going to die your plane is going to have DC power. The only planes that don't have DC power are the smaller ones and those flights don't go more than 4 hours at the extreme outside. And while we're talking about the battery it's 5 hours WITH WI-FI and Bluetooth ON! On an airplane you're going to get, at the very least, 6 hours probably more like 6.5-7.