Replace iPhone 5 battery? Or upgrade next month?

[erickj]

I'm debating and can't seem to settle on an answer.

My battery is shot on my iPhone 5 (not part of the replacement program), and I'm contemplating just replacing it and making due with the phone for another year. I skipped upgrading last year, because I just figured it was fine. But with the new model coming out in September, it seems like a good time to upgrade.
More of a want v.s. need thing, I suppose.

The iPhone 5 works fine, for what I use it for. Bigger screen would be nice (not the plus though-too big) for reading, but there's nothing wrong with with what I have other than dismal battery life and erratic battery behavior/performance. My biggest concern is iOS updates will render it useless over the next year and that if I replace the battery it will just drain again, not sure how long replacements will last.

Thoughts?

 

[Broadus]

I would change the battery regardless, ordering it from Other World Computing. I plan to upgrade from my 4S to the 6S and am giving the 4S to one of our daughters, but I replaced the battery yesterday. Actually, this is now the third battery this phone has had in almost four years.

If the phone serves you will, it would make sense to replace the battery and wait until the 7 to upgrade.

 

[erickj]

I would change the battery regardless, ordering it from Other World Computing. I plan to upgrade from my 4S to the 6S and am giving the 4S to one of our daughters, but I replaced the battery yesterday. Actually, this is now the third battery this phone has had in almost four years.

If the phone serves you will, it would make sense to replace the battery and wait until the 7 to upgrade.

Agreed on the if it works keep using it part. I was going to take mine to Apple and have them do the battery replacement for me if I go that route.

 

[Broadus]

Agreed on the if it works keep using it part. I was going to take mine to Apple and have them do the battery replacement for me if I go that route.

I'm about 45 minutes from an Apple Store, and replacing the battery wasn't as scary as I thought it may be. However, you do remove a lot of negative possibilities by letting Apple do it for you.

 

[2IS]

I would upgrade the phone personally.

 

[eyoungren]

More of a want v.s. need thing, I suppose.

I'm the last person you want to ask when it comes to choosing wants over needs.

I take care of needs first, but I am always looking for a way to get what I want and if the want takes out a need with it I'm all for it.

So, if the 6s is what you want - get it, if you can do it.

As to staying on the 5, you say you are worried about updates rendering it useless. Well, I ask you. Where is it written that you have to update?

Ignore the updates. My wife has an iPhone 5 that is still on iOS 6.0.1. If I had not had to replace my old iPhone 5 it would still be on iOS 6.1. My wife's current iPhone 6 is on iOS 8.1.1 and my 6+ is on 8.1.2. Apple encourages you to update, sometimes being very, very vehement about it. But it's your decision.

 

[erickj]

I'm the last person you want to ask when it comes to choosing wants over needs.

I take care of needs first, but I am always looking for a way to get what I want and if the want takes out a need with it I'm all for it.

So, if the 6s is what you want - get it, if you can do it.

As to staying on the 5, you say you are worried about updates rendering it useless. Well, I ask you. Where is it written that you have to update?

Ignore the updates. My wife has an iPhone 5 that is still on iOS 6.0.1. If I had not had to replace my old iPhone 5 it would still be on iOS 6.1. My wife's current iPhone 6 is on iOS 8.1.1 and my 6+ is on 8.1.2. Apple encourages you to update, sometimes being very, very vehement about it. But it's your decision.

Yeah, I wish I would have kept my iPhone 5 in the iOS 7.... series of things. But I'm in the 8.... now and it seems buggy.

 

[Charadis]

I'm debating and can't seem to settle on an answer.

My battery is shot on my iPhone 5 (not part of the replacement program), and I'm contemplating just replacing it and making due with the phone for another year. I skipped upgrading last year, because I just figured it was fine. But with the new model coming out in September, it seems like a good time to upgrade.
More of a want v.s. need thing, I suppose.

The iPhone 5 works fine, for what I use it for. Bigger screen would be nice (not the plus though-too big) for reading, but there's nothing wrong with with what I have other than dismal battery life and erratic battery behavior/performance. My biggest concern is iOS updates will render it useless over the next year and that if I replace the battery it will just drain again, not sure how long replacements will last.

Thoughts?

Same boat as you, Erick. I'm still using my launch day iPhone 5, and while I'm noticing the battery seems to drain a little faster, I don't feel like it is enough to justify a replacement. But I think I may upgrade anyways, depending on how much ram comes with the new phone. And I'm still keeping my 5. Depending on your carrier and plan, might be good to make use of that upgrade.

Just curious, how does the battery usage look on yours? My serial was not qualified for Apple's battery replacement, either, but i didn't feel the life has degraded terribly. Here's a screen grab of mine:

 

[techspin]

I say replace the battery and keep the phone as a spare or give it to a friend/family member who will use it. More gratifying to gift than to sell!

 

[erickj]

Same boat as you, Erick. I'm still using my launch day iPhone 5, and while I'm noticing the battery seems to drain a little faster, I don't feel like it is enough to justify a replacement. But I think I may upgrade anyways, depending on how much ram comes with the new phone. And I'm still keeping my 5. Depending on your carrier and plan, might be good to make use of that upgrade.

Just curious, how does the battery usage look on yours? My serial was not qualified for Apple's battery replacement, either, but i didn't feel the life has degraded terribly. Here's a screen grab of mine:

My battery is completely erratic. It will go from 98% to 72% to 18% and then just shut down within two hours. That's doing an instagram check, texting a few people and maybe looking at weather and safari some. Nothing too taxing. But oddly, say it's at 12% and then I plug it in, it will jump to 40% as soon as I plug it in. Doesn't make sense at all. Then there are days when it will hover in the 80% range for hours with normal use. For me, Home & Lock Screen and Mail seem to take up the most battery life, at 13% and 11% respectively.

 

[erickj]

I say replace the battery and keep the phone as a spare or give it to a friend/family member who will use it. More gratifying to gift than to sell!

Agreed! I've given my last two iPhones to friends in need.

 

[oldmacs]

Stay on the 5 as long as you can. In my humble opinion, people should wait till their current phone no longer fulfils their needs before upgrading. Better for the environment that way.

 

[Flow39]

I'd say upgrade. If the battery is that crazy, a new phone would probably be a good idea (plus you get that "new phone" feeling )

 

[Gav2k]

Personally I would take your phone to Apple. Even if your not covered by the replacement policy you good be done as a good will gesture. Just try to make an early morning appointment

 

[MrGuder]

I'm in the same boat, iphone 5 already had the battery replaced at Apple over a year ago free under the recall. However I use my phone so much that it started losing power again especially at 20% it would drop from 20 to 15 to 10 then 0 in just 10 mins of use.

So I decided to do it myself watched tube videos and got familiar with how. It was easier than I thought. It's been almost a week and the new battery is working perfectly. Im getting 6 hrs of daily use and most of all I saved myself $60.00 doing it myself. I hate to let my iPhone 5 go because I love the size and how it fits easily in your pocket. However I would like a bigger screen but now that I have a great battery again I may hold off till the 7 arrives.

 

[Raymen]

Kinda in the same boat - but mine 5 is a second hand 32gb that I picked up around about 2 years ago. In the last year or so the battery has become increasingly unpredictable - mine tends to be fine (ish) most days till about 50% then power drainage happens rapidly and sporadically thereafter. Some days it manages to last till down to around 25% then opening an app shuts it off, or drains it to 1% so it shuts off soon after. Otherwise it just randomly decides what percentage to shut off at - most annoyingly this happens mid phone call. Its also not covered by the Apple free battery replacement thing...
Having played with my wifes new 6 - I will be upgrading (probably to the plus as I prefer it). This also gives me a chance to get a phone with increased storage (I easily fill mine, mostly with music and photos).

As an aside - when my wife had her battery replaced in her old 5, apple broke the screen (it had a bit of old monitor esq v-sync issues after the repair) - so they gave her a new unit for the price of a replacement. I was thinking of having my phone battery replaced prior to this by a non apple repair shop. Having seen the screen issue with my wifes, and also considering the fact the price of the non-apple replacement was on a par with apples own, Id certainly recommend taking it to apple. I'd never be brave enough to do a screen on a phone myself. Id definitely break it!

It's probably more financially viable to just replace the 5's battery if you like it - however, if you prefer the design of a 6, get one. Just dont forget any 5 sized prepherals you have like cases, youll also need new ones of them on top of the cost of the new phone!