Own an iPhone SE or later & having battery issues? Or, maybe you want to get in on Apple’s iPhone battery replacement programme that, no questions asked, will give you a brand new battery for your iPhone for free — if you’ve got Apple Care — or, otherwise, for the relatively paltry sum of $35 Canadian ($29 U.S.), about half the regular price for battery replacement.
Apple is still offering $35 battery replacements for the iPhone SE, 6, 6 Plus, 6s, 6s Plus, 7, 7 Plus, 8, 8 Plus, and X. All of these devices are eligible for a discounted $35 battery following the processor slowdown scandal that Apple faced earlier this year.
After December 31, 2018, replacement iPhone batteries will return to their regular price. For most iPhones, replacement batteries will be priced at $65, with the exception of the iPhone X. Apple will charge $99 for an iPhone X battery replacement.
How to Initiate a Battery Replacement
To initiate a battery replacement, use Apple’s battery support site. You can take your iPhone to an Apple retail store, an Apple Authorized Service Provider, or send it in for replacement at an Apple Repair Centre. In my case, after clicking on Start a Battery Replacement, I chose the Bring in for Repair option, signed in with my Apple ID, on the next screen put in my postal code and my mobile service provider, clicked Go, chose an Apple repair location (in my case, I chose Apple, Oakridge Centre), and chose a convenient time for me to bring in my iPhone for the battery replacement.
Upon arrival, I checked in at the Genius Bar, spoke with one of the Apple Care staff, who asked me a few questions before taking the phone away for repair — the process from beginning to end taking about an hour and a half. When I purchased my iPhone about 15 months ago, the salesperson suggested I take my iPhone into my nearest Apple Care Centre once a year for a thorough cleaning. The number one problem iPhone customers experience concern dirty and / or plugged ports — to preserve the life of your phone, and to ensure a continued good experience of your phone, an annual cleaning is a necessity, I was told. Best aspect of the cleaning — it’s absolutely free! When I was given my phone back, it was sparking clean.
All iPhones will eventually face battery degradation issues due to the nature of lithium ion batteries. While performance management software was initially limited to the iPhone 5 SE, 6, 6 Plus, 6s, 6s Plus, 7, 7 Plus, and SE, Apple in iOS 12.1 added it to the iPhone 8, 8 Plus, and X to prevent future shutdowns should these devices suffer from failing batteries.
In the iPhone 8, 8 Plus, and X, performance management features introduced due to degraded batteries “may be less noticeable” because of their “more advanced hardware and software design.”
iPhones, including the XS, XS Max, and XR, will also eventually receive performance management software, until battery technology improves.
Final note: even If you’re not experiencing battery issues with your iPhone, it probably remains best to get your battery replaced before the programme ends, so you can avoid potential problems after December 31.
