Wait Times for iPhone Battery Replacements Increasing

[LovingTeddy]

Which is why in 11.3 you’ll be able to turn it off and everyone can stop complaining.

They have no obligation to replace the physical batteries.

Until then. Apple screws it’s customers first, Apple must pay some price for its actions.

 

[RickInHouston]

The process was an utter fiasco.

It was planned that way by Apple. It was meant to frustrate customers to but a new phone on the spot.

 

[Chupa Chupa]

Until then. Apple screws it’s customers first, Apple must pay some price for its actions.

Agreed, if customers get to the point of really feeling screwed Apple will pay a price -- ever decreasing sales. But the reality is Apple customer service is pretty good compared to the rest of the CE industry. I had this battery issue before Apple would acknowledge it. Yes, it pissed me off to high hell. But apparently Android is located elsewhere because my solution was to just buy a fresh iPhone and get on with my life.

I have a couple Samsung TVs with Tizen. Way too often I have to unplug the TV to reset it because an App is stuck loading. Nothings perfect.

 

[Robinovack]

I have 7 years old iPhone4 with ios7 on it and the battery can last for 2 days (normal usage) without any problems, and for 6-8 day in hold state. Also, this morning I tested it on -12°C shooting some videos in the park for about 25 minutes and there weren't any unexpected shutdowns. My second iphone6 dies only after few minutes of using it under 0°C/-1°C.

Can someone explain this to me?

 

[robertcoogan]

I heard back from the Apple Store in Palm Desert, CA after about three weeks. I was able to make it in and have my battery swapped out fairly quickly. And I have a 6s Plus - supposedly the wait times for those was supposed to be even longer.

 

[LovingTeddy]

Agreed, if customers get to the point of really feeling screwed Apple will pay a price -- ever decreasing sales. But the reality is Apple customer service is pretty good compared to the rest of the CE industry. I had this battery issue before Apple would acknowledge it. Yes, it pissed me off to high hell. But apparently Android is located elsewhere because my solution was to just buy a fresh iPhone and get on with my life.

I have a couple Samsung TVs with Tizen. Way too often I have to unplug the TV to reset it because an App is stuck loading. Nothings perfect.

Not just Apple. If Samsung is in same situation, I would want Samsung offers free replacement as well.

iPhone cost **** ton. It is not like iPhone is 300 dollars phone. I have different standard with 1000 dollars phone and 300 dollars phone, if this is 300 dollars phone, I would simply buy fresh one. If this is 1000 dollars phone, I would not just go out buy one. This is not small amount of money.

Therefore, I still believe Apple screwed its customers and shamefully charging people for fixing their problem.

 

[Christoffee]

The problem is that the media has grossly misreported the issue. Everyone is running to get a battery, including those who don't actually need it. If it were limited to people that actually needed a battery - those with below 80% capacity and those with performance issues (regardless of capacity) - there would likely be not nearly as much of a supply issue. The way the media is reporting the issue it's as if ALL batteries automatically need replacing, regardless of having any issues. This is absolutely what the general public believes. In fact many of them are referring to the issue as a recall of all iPhone batteries.

I disagree. Before all this kicked off Apple were telling me that my battery was at 83% and said I didn't need one. I had shut down issues (even post-update), a diabolical battery life, and I now know I was also throttled.

Apple told me my phone was fine, but iOS knew it wasn't fine.

 

[RickInHouston]

Apple is really dragging their heals on this one. Of course, it's the best course of action for them to take. They never intended to make this whole. That's what the lawsuits are for, I guess.

 

[robjulo]

Strawman argument. What companies are you referring to?

And I said nothing about the whether they are doing the best they can. The process was (maybe still is) broken. Want specifics? I scheduled an appointment online several weeks ago for a battery replacement. Later in the week, realized I never got a confirmation email (even though the website showed a confirmation screen for the appointment when I initially scheduled the appt).

Decided to try and schedule again. Same result, confirmation screen for the appt but no confirmation email.

So I started a chat to find out whether I had an appt or not. Chat rep said no appt, that I had to go through the chat system to set up the appt (despite the prior two confirmation screens that showed a scheduled an appt), so that a battery could be ordered. The chat rep put my request in. Told me I'd receive a call when the batteries came in and that call would come within the week.

Week goes by, no call.

Finally get the call after about 12 days, they leave a message stating the phone is not eligible for a battery replacement. No explanation given. So I get back on chat. Despite explicitly telling the previous chat rep that the battery was for an iPhone 6, for whatever reason, Apple thinks it's a for a 5s (which isn't eligible) and that is why the order was cancelled. Second chat rep is able to take care of the issue.

Why does it appear from their site that you could replace a battery by scheduling an appt, when you cannot? Why are they giving a confirmation screen for the appt, when the appt doesn't exist? Why, when I tell a rep the phone is a 6, do they cancel an order because they think it is a 5s? Sound to you like the process is working?

BTW, I believe they've changed the website since.

nope. It was an extra service. They are doing the best they can.
Other companies wont even do that.

 

[Sofabutt]

I set an appointment for a new battery three days ago. I'll be getting mine today...

 

[DaveOP]

Other companies don't have to

Sure about that? I have a drawer full of Galaxy S6's that are about 18 months old, and I can watch their battery drop to 0 in about 40 minutes. Samsung takes a 7-10 business days to turn around phones for us, so the experience isn't much better.

 

[SevenSeas]

Glad I payed a premium price for this awesome level of service!

Ha!

“Sir, thank you for your brand loyalty. We are so excited to assist you but due to a backlog in repairs we will need your phone for at least 7 working days. Please consider upgrading to the iPhone X in the meantime for a seamless transition.”

 

[Moorepheus]

Say it ain't so.

 

[wityname9000]

Seriously?
If you bring in an old phone (6) that's ion iOS 9.x for a battery swap (or repair) Apple won't touch it unless they "brick it" with iOS 11 first? That's crap.

No, they do not update the device OS. There is no OS requirement for a batter replacement.

 

[Moorepheus]

Most of these devices are out of warrenty. Are you kidding me! The fact that Apple is even providing this service is awesome. If you are in such a hurry ,just get iFixit or some other company to replace the battery. I have done it ,previously on my iPhone 4(5 years of use) , iPhone 5S(5 years of use). The 5S is still used by a family member.

Remember that when your CAR is out of warranty and you need to replace an alternator or shocks or what ever. They are charging people for this fix, it's not free, unless that has changed. They know there is a problem and they should have planned accordingly for it. It's not a new issue today. There is no reason for wait times to get longer. If anything, they should have been getting shorter.

 

[wityname9000]

Apple is a multi-billion dollar company, not my local charity. Give me a break.

Still doesn't give people any right to treat people without any level of respect.
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I was told I could get a free battery replacement. When I got there, the Genuis was extremely rude, and told me I was making things up. She kept telling me my phone was out of warranty. Which I knew. I had a live chat where they said I could get a free battery under a program, so I called the Apple store to confirm. They told me they wanted to charge me. I called Apple Where another genuis told me it would be free and there would be case notes for the store to look at. I go there, there’s no case notes, and the store wants to charge me. Then I call Apple again, they tell me it’s going to be free and to update my software and they would call me back. I updated the software, never got a call back. I’ve spent hours dealing with this issue. Not happy with Apple. Very rude service where they were calling me a liar in the store at the Rockaway location in NJ after waiting weeks for my battery to come in. I denied the service as Apple wont see a dime from me until this issue is fixed.

If you have an early iPhone 6S there is a program for free replacement on certain models. Anything else the charge part would be correct.

 

[Moorepheus]

The lack of respect people feel they should give the people servicing these phones is mind boggling. People acting like they’re owed something, when the company is basically doing an extraordinary act of goodwill, replacing often perfectly healthy batteries at a loss just so the owners of the devices can berate and belittle people.

If you’re calling this a debacle, you should take a long hard look at how you appreciate those working around you.

Was it good will when APPLE put in the throttling code w/out informing it's user base? Also, how do you know they are replacing healthy batteries with a new one. Where are you facts on this one? But I agree, to take it out on the people at an Apple store is just wrong. They just work for Apple. They don't control the design, implementation of software, stock, etc.

 

[5105973]

I have worked for an Apple Premium Service Provider for 8 months. And I have seen the absolute worst out of people because of this battery fiasco. It’s completely asinine the way that people act about this, and it has completely changed my view of people. As many are crying over nothing, and there is no excuse for people to act as horribly as they do to me and my coworkers. People should be very grateful that Apple gave them an opportunity to do this because other companies would have never done that. It’s made our workplace a living hell from literal mountains of battery paperwork and boxes, and almost everyone yelling to the point where people want to quit. So maybe when you walk into an Apple Store or Premium Service Provider, you should think about how awful it has been and will continue to be bad for us. Because Apple never gave us a heads up. They just threw us under the bus, and we are all suffering for it.

I can just imagine. I wouldn’t take it out on any employees providing they treat me with courtesy when I approach them.

Unfortunately, people rely so much on their phones or are addicted or something and it completely changes their behavior when they have to do without them or something happens. I’ve just gone through this myself.

This battery fiasco has put a nasty strain between me and a sister-in-law. I gave her my lightly used 128 GB 6S Plus to keep and to use as a trade in when she was ready to replace her 16 GB 6 Plus. It was in good working order when I gave it to her. But she let it sit a whole year while she continued to use her old iphone whose storage she kept overflowing, because she could not be bothered to set the 6s Plus up until my husband found free time to do the honors. I guess in that year that it sat, the battery degraded further. Or perhaps putting the latest version of iOS did it in.

After it was set up, we hadn’t heard anything for a couple of weeks so assumed all was well. But then one day to my shock and embarrassment, she let forth a torrent of nasty remarks about the phone on social media and ranted in a text to my husband about the “piece of crap” phone I gave her. She was dealing with an ailing family member and needed her phone to “just work” but it wasn’t, and judging from the symptoms we can only guess that it could be the battery. We won’t know for sure until she’s able to get the appointment and replacement. I shudder to think the torrent of abuse she might lay forth on Apple employees if she can’t get it fixed promptly.

We had always gotten along and I’ve been grateful to her for many wonderful things she’s done for me, but stress of other things she’s dealing with got to her and having issues with a phone just was the last straw and now apparently she’s in the frame of mind to think I intentionally palmed a defective castoff on her. I was only trying to help and give a phone that I thought was great to someone I love. Well, they do say the road to hell is paved with good intentions.

If there are Apple customers angry at Apple for what they see as underhanded conduct, I can just imagine how they are venting on you service people. You have my sympathies. Best wishes to you.

 

[cocky jeremy]

If I pay for a car and take it in for it’s sevice and all of a sudden the horsepower has been halved then you can be dam sure I’ll be angry and pissed off. I paid for a phone with xyz specs and it’s currently running below that without my consent. That’s deceit, especially when Apple was not forward about it.

Also this isn’t some cheap Chinese knockoff, these phones are getting into the thousands of dollars/pounds. This is serious money and customers rightfully expect a certain level of service and support for that.

Those batteries will cost less than the £29 I’m paying. Also it’s not goodwill. Apple is in a serious legal mess with this. Apple tried to deceive their customers and only came clean once caught, this has the same sort of hubris that led VW into their nightmare.

My phone went from perfectly functional and working just fine to a laggy mess in the space of a single update. Apple has a responsibility to make that right. Stop being so sanctimonious. I’m a long time Apple buyer and have always liked their products but this was absolutely not ok what they did.
[doublepost=1519822139][/doublepost]

You’ve not had many expensive cars go wrong have you? I’ve had two cars fixed just out of warranty under good Will claims. A Volvo power steering unit and a Range Rover rear differential component. When it comes to premium manufacturers it’s quite common to get things fixed out of warranty within reason.

I said batteries. Parts that go commonly go bad over time. Like the battery in an iPhone.

 

[PhillyProf]

A couple of weeks ago, I contacted Apple Support to see about getting the battery replaced in my wife's 6. They said that it might take two weeks for my local Apple store to get the battery in stock. The next day, the Apple store contacted me to say the battery was available. I took the phone to the store the next day, they made sure that the battery had degraded over time, and two hours later walked out with the work done. For us, Apple did everything right!

 

[Scottsoapbox]

The problem is that the media has grossly misreported the issue. Everyone is running to get a battery, including those who don't actually need it. If it were limited to people that actually needed a battery - those with below 80% capacity and those with performance issues (regardless of capacity) - there would likely be not nearly as much of a supply issue. The way the media is reporting the issue it's as if ALL batteries automatically need replacing, regardless of having any issues. This is absolutely what the general public believes. In fact many of them are referring to the issue as a recall of all iPhone batteries.

It would help if Apple finally pushed out the battery diagnostic to the public.

 

[bliggs]

Got my son's iPhone 6 battery replaced and it did indeed take 3 weeks to get the battery in but at $29, I'm not complaining one bit. It made the phone like new again.

 

[Chupa Chupa]

Not just Apple. If Samsung is in same situation, I would want Samsung offers free replacement as well.

iPhone cost **** ton. It is not like iPhone is 300 dollars phone. I have different standard with 1000 dollars phone and 300 dollars phone, if this is 300 dollars phone, I would simply buy fresh one. If this is 1000 dollars phone, I would not just go out buy one. This is not small amount of money.

Therefore, I still believe Apple screwed its customers and shamefully charging people for fixing their problem.

Right but my point is, on whole, customers are annoyed, but not to the point they are ready to abandon the brand. Companies only "pay a price" when they've done something truly egregious that cause them to look elsewhere. iPhones are expensive. But what about cars? They dwarf what phones cost. Car makers have these type of "recalls" all the time.

I've received notices from BMW a few times to let me know of a defect and that they'd contact me in a few months when the parts were available. Happens all the time with every manufacturer. It's an annoyance, not a mortal sin. And like I said, when it is a mortal sin companies lose big. Take a look at how VW's sales plummeted after it admitted it intentionally cooked it's tests. Now THAT is what a mortal sin looks like. Apple's battery issue is a few Hail Mary's in comparison.

 

[saile]

This is the price to pay when we try to reduce performance to force people to change iphone. People are right to take advantage of this opportunity to change the batrie of their iphone.


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galaxy s8 achat accessoires galaxy s8

 

[Phonephreak]

Sure about that? I have a drawer full of Galaxy S6's that are about 18 months old, and I can watch their battery drop to 0 in about 40 minutes. Samsung takes a 7-10 business days to turn around phones for us, so the experience isn't much better.

7-10 days is far better than a month.