Make Sure to Get Your $29 iPhone Battery Replacements Soon as Apple's Discount Program is Set to End on December 31

[Kendo]

Well, the unimaginable happened, or Apple changed their policies, because they just replaced my son's 88% capacity iPhone 7+ battery for free under AppleCare+ tonight, with about 3 months remaining on his AC+ warranty.

You got it for free cuz you had AppleCare+. If this were under "normal" circumstances, before all this scandal with the throttling, Apple wouldn't replace the battery even if you had AppleCare+ unless there was something wrong with the battery (below 80%).

Due to the scandal, you can now replace a battery for just $29 for whatever the reason. Added to that, anyone with AppleCare+ will have the $29 fee waived.

If you did this next year after the cutoff period, I guarantee they wouldn't replace your battery.

 

[drlunanerd]

I received my iPhone SE back from Apple UK today after sending it off last week for a battery replacement. Even though it's 20 months old and out of warranty they did it for free. Not sure why - I was prepared to pay the £25 + postage fee.
Battery Health was 93%, but Coconut Battery reported as 76%, which I think is more accurate as battery life had reduced significantly.

 

[Momof2.1107]

You got it for free cuz you had AppleCare+. If this were under "normal" circumstances, before all this scandal with the throttling, Apple wouldn't replace the battery even if you had AppleCare+ unless there was something wrong with the battery (below 80%).

Due to the scandal, you can now replace a battery for just $29 for whatever the reason. Added to that, anyone with AppleCare+ will have the $29 fee waived.

If you did this next year after the cutoff period, I guarantee they wouldn't replace your battery.

Every rep I’ve spoken with in the last 2 weeks, has told me even though I have AppleCare+, I still have to pay $29 to have the battery replaced in my X, UNLESS it fail diagnostic and then it’s free. Even the reps I spoke with on the phone from the Tyson’s Corner location told me the same thing. I wish I could get the fee waived.

 

[Kendo]

Every rep I’ve spoken with in the last 2 weeks, has told me even though I have AppleCare+, I still have to pay $29 to have the battery replaced in my X, UNLESS it fail diagnostic and then it’s free. Even the reps I spoke with on the phone from the Tyson’s Corner location told me the same thing. I wish I could get the fee waived.

When they processed my replacement, their system charged me $0, there was no manual adjustment. So despite what a rep says, their word won't override an automatic system bill. Also see link below.

https://www.macworld.com/article/3245168/consumer-electronics/iphone-29-battery-replacement-faq.html

What if I have AppleCare+?
AppleCare+ provides two years of hardware repair coverage, so if you phone is within the coverage window, Apple will replace your battery for free.

 

[Momof2.1107]

When they processed my replacement, their system charged me $0, there was no manual adjustment. So despite what a rep says, their word won't override an automatic system bill. Also see link below.

https://www.macworld.com/article/3245168/consumer-electronics/iphone-29-battery-replacement-faq.html

What if I have AppleCare+?
AppleCare+ provides two years of hardware repair coverage, so if you phone is within the coverage window, Apple will replace your battery for free.

I hope this true for me on Friday.

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

I hope this true for me on Friday.

Well, I was expecting to pay the $29 (and offered to do that) since the battery was reading 88% for Apple, and 84% on Coconut battery, despite having AppleCare+. In the past they would refuse to change a battery that was over 80%, whether with AC+ or paying cash.

I knew the policy for paying cash changed to allow anyone to do it this year, regardless of battery wear, but they should not have changed the battery for free if we're over 80%. But they did.

 

[Kendo]

Went in with an iPhone X battery at 90%. She had no problems setting up the replacement but did advise since my AppleCare runs out next year, I could always bring the phone at a later date and get the free replacement.

I declined because I'm betting the no questions asked battery replacement ends at the end of this year, and if I wait until next year, I need to have a legitimate bad battery (below 80%) to get it replaced for free.

 

[Momof2.1107]

Today I took my X in to get the battery replaced. During that process the rep kept trying to persuade me not to have the battery replaced. The word free was thrown around since I have AppleCare+, and I told him I’m not your normal customer and want to have my battery replaced. 1.5 hours later I came back to pick my phone up and was told my phone was broken in the process so I was handed another X free of charge and a free accessory.

 

[Momof2.1107]

Went in with an iPhone X battery at 90%. She had no problems setting up the replacement but did advise since my AppleCare runs out next year, I could always bring the phone at a later date and get the free replacement.

I declined because I'm betting the no questions asked battery replacement ends at the end of this year, and if I wait until next year, I need to have a legitimate bad battery (below 80%) to get it replaced for free.

My rep told me the same thing today but I was persistent with getting the battery replaced. I was at 89% and told him I’m not leaving the store and wasting $6 to park and not have my battery replaced.

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

My rep told me the same thing today but I was persistent with getting the battery replaced. I was at 89% and told him I’m not leaving the store and wasting $6 to park and not have my battery replaced.

But now we see the risks they didn't want to take to replace the battery when it was over 80% > it cost them a new X to replace the one they broke.

 

[drlunanerd]

Apple Stores in the UK are also trying to convince people not to bother having their batteries replaced.

Two of my family members today got told their iPhones at 85% & 88% didn’t need replacing, despite battery life being noticeably worse. Duh, but what about in 6 months time Genius and when the price has gone up?

Mine was supposedly at 93% and had terrible battery life. I’m tired of Apple’s BS at the moment.

 

[C DM]

Apple Stores in the UK are also trying to convince people not to bother having their batteries replaced.

Two of my family members today got told their iPhones at 85% & 88% didn’t need replacing, despite battery life being noticeably worse. Duh, but what about in 6 months time Genius and when the price has gone up?

Mine was supposedly at 93% and had terrible battery life. I’m tired of Apple’s BS at the moment.

They can say what they want, which isn't exactly surprising that they would say that, but if you insist on having it replaced, they are supposed to do it and that's that, at least this year.

 

[Momof2.1107]

Apple Stores in the UK are also trying to convince people not to bother having their batteries replaced.

Two of my family members today got told their iPhones at 85% & 88% didn’t need replacing, despite battery life being noticeably worse. Duh, but what about in 6 months time Genius and when the price has gone up?

Mine was supposedly at 93% and had terrible battery life. I’m tired of Apple’s BS at the moment.

The rep I had tried to convince me for 10 minutes not to get the battery replaced. I stood my ground and said I’m not leaving until the battery is replaced.

 

[I7guy]

The rep I had tried to convince me for 10 minutes not to get the battery replaced. I stood my ground and said I’m not leaving until the battery is replaced.

Wow. I had the batteries replaced for free in two phones and it was easy-peasy. In and out in a few minutes..well maybe an hour.

 

[Momof2.1107]

Wow. I had the batteries replaced for free in two phones and it was easy-peasy. In and out in a few minutes..well maybe an hour.

The rep I had kept saying your phone is still good even at 89%. I told him my X have 343 charging cycles and even though I will upgrade next year, I want a new battery and was told it would be replaced no questions asked unless something else was broken at the same time. I told him I stay up-to-date in tech forums so I know what I’m doing and the possibility that my device could be broken during the replacement.

 

[Momof2.1107]

Wow. I had the batteries replaced for free in two phones and it was easy-peasy. In and out in a few minutes..well maybe an hour.

The rep I had kept saying your phone is still good even at 89%. I told him my X have 343 charging cycles and even though I will upgrade next year, I want a new battery and was told it would be replaced no questions asked unless something else was broken at the same time. I told him I stay up-to-date in tech forums so I know what I’m doing and the possibility that my device could be broken during the replacement.

 

[mrex]

Got the battery replaced today for 39 euros (no apple stores here, only their auth. 3rd party service centers). Now i can use my phone again without unexpected shutdowns - hopefully. The battery was still 82% from the max capacity but the phone was shutted down many times around 40% left from the battery without warnings...

 

[frou]

I don't believe the "Battery Health" number to be that relevant if the battery has already had many hundreds of cycles on it.

Just because it says e.g. high-80s, doesn't mean real world battery life might not fall off a cliff in a month or two. It's not a linear process where you can draw a straight line gradient on a graph to predict the future.