Apologizes to users around the world for slowing down older iPhone models with worn-out batteries. The corporation decided to back up its words with a discount on battery replacement, which begins on December 30, 2017.

Previously, the company wrote that the battery replacement program would be launched at the beginning of 2018. But a few days later, Rene Ritchie announced to Apple that the discounts would begin to apply earlier. Apparently, the corporation managed to settle all organizational issues prematurely and begin serving customers now.

Which devices will have their batteries replaced at a reduced price?

According to Apple, the discount applies to the iPhone 6, 6 Plus, 6s, 6s Plus and iPhone SE. The cost of repairing other devices, including iPad, has not changed.

Moreover, only those who bring a smartphone with a worn-out battery will receive cheap batteries. Surely, when users show up at the service center, its employees will take the gadget for diagnostics, check the condition of the battery and tell them whether there will be a discount or not.

How to check the battery status of your smartphone yourself?

The easiest way is to open the iPhone settings and select the “Battery” sub-item. If there is something wrong with it, information will appear at the top of the window that the device’s battery is in poor condition and requires replacement. Otherwise, you can refrain from repairs.

How much will it cost to replace the battery?

Apple only announced US pricing. Repairs there will cost $29. As for Russia, Apple recommends contacting an official service center and asking about the cost of replacing the battery there.

Many have heard about the scandal that erupted at the end of last year and was associated with the publication of data that Apple specifically limits the speed of the iPhone when reducing battery capacity. This information was confirmed by an article by the founder Geekbench John Poole, in which he conducted a detailed study of the problem.

A little later, the information was confirmed by other publications and developers who conducted iPhone performance tests with batteries of different capacities. For example, tests recorded a decrease in the operating frequency of the processor by 2.5 times on a device with a poor battery condition! This, of course, cannot but affect the overall speed of the device.

The published data not only generated a wave of indignation among many users, but also provided a lot of work for Apple's lawyers. Already, several hundred individual and class actions have been filed against the company, and France’s anti-consumer fraud agency is even conducting its own investigation, which could result in a huge fine (up to 5% of Apple’s annual revenue in the country).

What to do?

The only solution if the iPhone starts to work noticeably slower, given the absence of other hardware or software problems, is.

There is also confirmation of this in the form of device testing indicators before and after battery replacement. So, for example, an iPhone 6 with a fairly worn-out battery (capacity 1168 mAh, number of charge cycles 750) before replacement, according to Geekbench tests, gave the following processor frequency readings: Single-Core - 845 / Multi-Core - 1384. After replacement: Single-Core - 1587 / Multi-Core - 2696. The result is obvious!

It is worth noting that if the processor frequency during use is lower than it should be, in order to return the previous performance indicators, the battery should be replaced only with an original spare part. Chinese copies of low quality are unlikely to solve the problem, because... The iPhone's power controller may still detect the battery as being very worn out.

How is Apple reacting?

“First and foremost, we would never and will never do anything that would intentionally shorten the life of any Apple product or degrade the user experience to encourage customers to purchase new devices. Our goal has always been to create products that users love, and maximizing their lifespan is a critical part of that goal...”

According to company representatives, the upcoming iOS updates will have to include modified iPhone power management algorithms in order to reduce the dependence of the iPhone's performance on the level of wear of its battery. iOS will also have a built-in battery health feature so users can monitor the health of the battery and make decisions about replacing it if the iPhone's battery life or performance becomes noticeably poor.

As a compensatory measure, from January to the end of December 2018, Apple is launching a discounted service program for iPhones that require battery replacement. For all device models, starting with iPhone 6 and newer, at all official representative offices of the company, including authorized service centers, battery replacement will cost throughout 2018 $29 instead of regular price of $79.

There is also a limitation - you can change the iPhone battery at this price only once. The company explains this by the fact that battery replacement is not required more often than once a year for the company’s devices.

Where can you change your iPhone battery?

If the iPhone quickly discharges, it turns off at 20, 30 or more percent of charge; if there is a significant decrease in performance (in the absence of other hardware or software problems), then most likely you need battery replacement. This can be done at any of our service centers. We can offer to replace the battery with an original one directly at our service center, or provide you with a battery replacement as part of the Apple Preferential Service Program.

Battery replacement	iPhone 7 Plus	iPhone 7	iPhone 6s Plus	iPhone 6s	iPhone 6 Plus	iPhone 6	iPhone SE	lead time
Replacing the battery at a service center (original)	6500	5900	4500	3500	3500	2900	2900	30 - 60 minutes
Battery replacement through the Apple Preferred Service program	2000	2000	2000	2000	2000	2000	2000	5 - 10 working days

Starting in January, Apple launched a preferential program for replacing batteries in iPhone 6 and newer models, this was a response to the artificial slowdown of smartphones with worn-out batteries. Apple did not confirm the slowdown in the operation of older devices, but after a series of independent studies and extensive discussion they were forced to admit this fact. As a result, several dozen class actions have been opened against the company in the United States, criminal investigations have begun in a dozen countries, and it is still impossible to say exactly how this will turn out for Apple. As an apology, the company offered replacement batteries for any user of older devices who encountered this problem, and reduced the cost by more than a third. Thus, in the US, the replacement price dropped from $79 to $29 excluding taxes. For the user, this means that for minimal money you can refresh your device and extend its life by at least one and a half to two years without the need to replace it with a new one. Let's take a closer look at how this program works in the world and in Russia, what are the differences and what you should pay attention to.

Which models are included in the program?

Any iPhone starting from the sixth model falls under the battery replacement program, but previous devices do not participate in this program, for example, the iPhone 5s cannot be repaired this way, the cost of replacing the battery on it remains the same (from five to six thousand rubles on average in Russia, 79 dollars in the USA).

Initially, it was assumed that only devices with a worn-out battery would be replaced, for example, those where there was slowdown and Apple could determine this. At the moment, batteries are being replaced in virtually any device, without exception. It is unknown whether this approach will remain in the future, but there is already an influx of people wanting to replace the battery, the flow of people to services in each country has increased significantly, somewhere by an order of magnitude.

Another important point - if your phone is under warranty (regular or extended AppleCare), then you can and should return it under warranty, the battery will be replaced free of charge and in priority mode. For example, in Europe or the USA, such a replacement usually means getting a new device. A sign of a defective battery or improper operation is very simple, for example, the device instantly discharges in the cold or does not hold a charge. The only important thing here is to contact the company while your warranty is still valid, so that they have time to diagnose it.

Countries with operating Apple Stores

For the consumer, there are two general scenarios for how an iPhone repair can occur; they can be roughly divided into countries where there are Apple stores and all others. Let's look at a simple scenario, namely countries with Apple stores and how it happens in them.

In theory, you can come to the store and immediately contact a consultant so that they can look at your device and evaluate the possibility of replacing the battery outside the warranty period. Usually, when you apply on the same day, you are refused an appointment, since the consultants are busy; it is best to make an appointment in advance and indicate what exactly you want to do, in our case, replace the battery. In Los Angeles, I went to the Apple store in The Grove, where they accepted me right away, I was lucky. The consultant evaluates the device, assesses its appearance, and disables the Find iPhone function. My iPhone 6 has a worn out battery (more than 1200 cycles over a couple of years), and Apple has reduced the processor clock speed on it, meaning it is guaranteed to fall under the program.

I was put on a list and told that the wait time would be between 5-6 days as there were no batteries available. You can wait a couple of weeks, since it all depends on the store and its traffic; at the moment there is an influx of people wanting to update their batteries.

They issued a paper describing the cost of repairs and warned that it was impossible to use the discounted battery replacement for this device again. Since I didn’t have time to wait for the battery to be replaced, I took the phone with me, but a week later I still didn’t receive a call to the store, the battery didn’t arrive. Therefore, those who expect to be able to replace the battery at the Apple Store during a short trip should not rely on this. Most likely, you simply don't have enough time. It is not possible to order a battery in advance, so consider other options.

Interestingly, Apple does not have batteries for the iPhone 6 Plus, so the company offers to replace the devices with an iPhone 6s Plus (new or refurbished, depending on your luck). In my opinion, this is an interesting offer that is worth taking advantage of, but there is a pitfall here - your old device should not be repaired outside of Apple (for example, it has a non-original screen and battery), it should not be broken or badly damaged. And such a replacement occurs despite the fact that your old device is already out of warranty.

You can read the story about replacing the iPhone 6 Plus with the 6s Plus.

If the test program determines that your iPhone has non-original parts and/or is severely damaged, you may be denied any repairs, including battery replacement. Just as if you replaced the original battery, you will most likely be denied the replacement program. But a replacement at the Apple Store is the easiest, most reliable and guaranteed way to get a new iPhone battery for minimal money.

Russia and other countries without Apple Store

In Russia and other countries where Apple does not have its own stores and service centers, replacing a battery looks a little different. The replacement program works, but there are pitfalls to be aware of onshore. Apple has authorized service centers that carry out repairs on behalf of the company; they are independent of Apple and do not belong to the company. In theory, each service center carries out repairs according to its own price list, based on its understanding of the market. Over the past years, prices for iPhone services were approximately the same in different companies, while they were based on each other and the cost of components (Apple does not supply most of the components to Russia, for example, so it was impossible to repair only the screen, they replaced it for you) -in fact, the entire apparatus, now this is not so). The average cost of replacing a battery ranged from 5 to 7 thousand rubles.

Even if you contact Apple support in Russia, they will not tell you the cost of replacing the battery under this program, since it differs from city to city, from service to service. Apple's internal cost for such a repair is 1,700 rubles, which is quite consistent with the American or European cost. In our realities, service centers add the cost of diagnostics (five minutes of collecting information about the device, everything is automated, plus an external inspection). Depending on the greed of the service center, the cost of this service ranges from 300 to 800 rubles. In total, it turns out that you will be charged from two to two and a half thousand rubles for replacing the battery. It is pointless to download your license and demand a replacement for 1,700 rubles, since this cost is not indicated anywhere, but in the regions there are services that offer exactly this price. One battery supplier indicated that on average their price ranges from 450 to 550 rubles for a service center. It is not difficult to calculate how much the service receives for its work.

The sticky question remains what is supplied in Russian service centers as original batteries. These are not batteries supplied by Apple, but they are Apple-authorized batteries from a number of suppliers in China, meaning they shouldn't cause any problems, plus they come with a limited warranty (six months, replacement unless the entire battery dies, which is unlikely to happen ). Unofficial services install approximately the same batteries, and depending on the city, the cost of replacement will range from one thousand to two thousand rubles. For example, in Moscow the price of replacing a battery will be 2,000 rubles with a technician visiting your home and will take about twenty minutes at most.

In my opinion, for Russia there is practically no difference in where you place the battery. In official and unofficial services you will receive the same batteries, their service life will be the same. Another thing is that it is impossible to be confident in the quality of an unofficial service, as well as in the correct disassembly of the case and maintaining protection from water. However, the quality of authorized service centers leaves much to be desired.

Apple support gave me a list of services where I can replace the battery, I tried to contact everyone and find out about the timing and cost of repairs. The first service I chose was MCLABS, they have a reception in the center of Moscow, as well as on Varshavskaya. The cost of repairs, which was announced over the phone, is 2,500 rubles, including diagnostics. The repair period is from two weeks, there are no batteries available. We talked to the guy, and he said that he doesn’t remember such an influx of people wanting to change the battery, about thirty people a day, and this is only at one point, the situation is about the same in other services.

In some services, the phones were simply silent and did not answer, no one answered the phone, in others the information was confirmed. At Powerline, on Nakhimovsky Prospekt, they offered to come up, the cost of repairs is exactly the same, but the time frame is shorter, they didn’t give them exactly over the phone, but they said that it might take a few days at most, but without any guarantees on the time frame , because there is an influx of people interested and they are sewn up.

In “Service Pro” there was a bored girl on the phone, from her we managed to get the following information:

• Battery delivery times have increased significantly, demand has increased significantly, and people came in droves after the New Year holidays;
• There are sufficient batteries in stock for all devices except iPhone 6/6s Plus, they are expected in 2 weeks;
• The delivery time for batteries for the iPhone 6 Plus is no earlier than spring 2018; replacement is not possible at the moment.

I called a dozen services, and I got a clear picture that the average wait time for repairs in Moscow is about two weeks or more, there is a large flow of people wanting to carry out this repair. Where people answered the question of how the flow had changed compared to December, on average they said that it had increased by 5-10 times.

To change or not to change? Battery as a consumable

The battery is a consumable item and its capacity decreases over time, so there is no doubt that it needs to be replaced. Two questions arise here: you can buy a new smartphone, or you can simply change the battery in the old one, then it will work as long as a new one. And if your case is not broken, and the device is quite satisfactory, then it is easier and cheaper to change the battery. Such an updated device is quite capable of working for at least one and a half to two years. And if we talk about the iPhone, then such a replacement makes sense, because when you bought your device, it was a flagship or a mid-segment model. This is unprofitable for the manufacturer, since all this time you will be using a relatively old device and will not buy something new. But this is a very good option for you, as you can save on buying a new device.

The scandal surrounding the iPhone is of great importance for the market, since for the first time people went en masse to service centers in order to change batteries, previously this was not a common practice. Apple has set a low cost for such repairs, because previously it was noticeably higher than that of its competitors. For comparison, previously the cost of replacing a battery on Apple was 5-7 thousand rubles, in most devices from Samsung this price was 3.5-4 thousand rubles in the official service, and the cost of the battery and the cost of work were distributed equally. We must remember that the price of batteries for Android manufacturers is higher, since they have a larger capacity, and noticeably more - hence the higher cost.

There is a possibility that other manufacturers will react to Apple’s actions and also reduce the cost of replacing batteries to 2-2.5 thousand rubles, which can be considered a benefit for all of us. But so far this has not happened. In any case, the fact that this topic surfaced and received such resonance due to the iPhone slowdown scandal is good. People will learn to change batteries and extend the life of their devices. This is a benefit for services that have received new clients, and with the right approach, they can turn these clients into loyal ones.

I have a couple of iPhones on which the battery is dead (the “six”, as well as the 7 Plus), I plan to replace the battery on one in Russia, on the second in Europe, and then just see what kind of batteries they put in the case. But I have no doubt that today replacing the battery is justified and gives a second life to these devices, extending their life cycle. Are you planning to do this? On what devices? Where - in official or illegal places? Share your experience, both positive and negative, if you were suddenly denied a replacement due to a broken case or previous repairs. In a word, share your impressions. And for those who have not yet matured to replacement, I advise you to seriously think about it. It's worth it.

An iPhone is a desired acquisition for millions of Russians. But even a high-quality product can have a manufacturing defect. For example, you need to replace the device's battery with a new one before the end of the warranty period. How to do this and where to go is in the material below.

iPhone 6s battery replacement under warranty

If your iPhone battery has become faulty for some reason, there is no need to run to the store for a new one or order it through dubious sites. It is enough to contact the service center or store where the purchase was made.

Replacement with a new battery under warranty can be done free of charge at an Apple service center, if the service warranty period is valid. To do this, you need to prepare the device and provide a standard package of documents.

Before any action is taken, the iPhone will be checked for the causes of the malfunction. If damage is found that makes changing the battery difficult, you must repair the damage and then install a new battery. For example, replacing a cracked screen or external panel of the device.

How do you know if your iPhone 6s battery needs to be replaced?

You can find out whether it is possible to replace your battery with a new one for free on your own. To do this you need to go to the section “Settings” - “Basic” “Device information”. And study the section where the serial number of the device is indicated.

There should be the following Latin letters and numbers: q3-q9 qc, qd, qf, qg, qh, qj. If the serial number (not to be confused with IMEI) contains one of the specified combinations, you can contact the warranty service center or an official representative office (store) of Apple with a request to change the battery. After a service check, if the battery is confirmed to be unusable, it is replaced with a new one free of charge.

How is the battery replaced?

How to prepare the device for changing the battery, and where should I go for this procedure?

• Save data using iTunes or iCloud (iTunes or iCloud);
• Disable the Search iPhone option;
• Erase all information and personal settings from the iPhone. (Settings – General – Reset – Delete data and options (settings).

Next, contact an official Apple device repair and service center. The addresses are on the company's official website. Contact the center operator by phone to clarify the timing of the battery change (optimally immediately, on the day of your call).

Replacing an iPhone with a new one under warranty

Is it possible to replace an iPhone under warranty? According to established rules, the company does not repair, but replaces unusable devices with new ones if there is a manufacturing defect.

The iPhone is a product certified on the Russian market and belongs to the list of technically complex ones. In the event of a breakdown not related to the user's actions during the warranty period, the company is obliged to replace the device with a similar one free of charge.

The warranty period (valid by law) for a new product is 365 days from the date of registration of the replacement. Thus, even if your iPhone 6s has a few days left in its warranty, after replacement, the warranty period is extended by a year.

If an iPhone breaks under warranty, can they replace it?

What to do if your new iPhone 6s is broken? A consumer, having discovered a malfunction in his iPhone before the expiration of the warranty period, has the right to demand that the product be replaced with a new one, in accordance with the consumer protection law.

To do this, you need to provide the service center or store with a purchase receipt, packaging, service coupon and make a written claim in free form indicating a request to replace the product with a new one, in accordance with Apple regulations. In case of refusal, the client has the right to file a claim in court.

Remember: if you are denied repairs on the grounds that the phone was not purchased in Russia, you can also file a claim.

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). Fortunately, the process of disassembling and replacing the battery on the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus is not very difficult. We've covered it in detail in this guide.

Difficulty: medium.
Time required: 20-50 minutes.

What you will need

• Phillips (1.2 mm, 2.2 mm, 2.8 mm, 2.9 mm) and pentagonal 3.4 mm (Pentalobe) screwdrivers.
• Sucker.
• Dielectric spatula (Spudger).
• Plastic tool.
• Tweezers.
• New battery for iPhone 6s/6s Plus.

Step 1: Remove the two 3.4mm P2 Pentalobe screws next to the Lightning connector.

Step 2: Attach the suction cup to the bottom left corner of your iPhone display. Please note that unlike many other iPhone models, you cannot place the suction cup over the Home button when disassembling the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus.

Step 3: Hold your iPhone and pull up on the suction cup until there is a small gap between the bezel and the back of the case (as shown in the image below). Important! Pull slowly, without sudden movements, to avoid damaging the device.

Step 4: Place the flat edge of the dielectric spudger into the gap between the screen and the chassis in the lower left corner (near the audio jack). Using this place during disassembly is the safest.

Step 5: Rotate the paddle 90 degrees to widen the gap between the front panel and the rest of the smartphone.

Step 6. Insert the flat end of the dielectric spudger into the gap between the display and the body on the left side of the smartphone. Run the spatula all the way to the top left corner to loosen the adhesive and release the clips.

Step 7. Perform a similar procedure on the bottom edge first.

And then on the right side.

Step 8: Pull the suction cup to open the display to an angle up to 90 degrees to remove remaining glue. After this, remove the suction cup.

Step 9. Open the iPhone case, lifting the front part up at an angle of about 90 degrees. For greater convenience and safety when working with a smartphone, it is recommended to lean it against something, for example, against an iPhone package. For reliability, the smartphone and the box can be secured with an elastic band.

Step 10. Remove the two screws that secure the battery cable holder:

• One 2.9mm screw.
• One 2.2mm screw.

Step 11. Using tweezers, remove the plate.

Step 12: Using the sharp end of a spudger or a plastic tool, disconnect the battery cable.

Step 13. Move the cable away from the connector to avoid accidental connection of the cable during operation.

Step 14: Remove the four screws:

• Three 1.2 mm screws.
• One 2.8mm screw.

Step 15. Remove the LCD cable holder.

Step 16. Disconnect the front camera cable.

Step 17: Disconnect the touch display cable. Important! When reassembling the iPhone and connecting the touch display cable, do not press the central part of the cable under any circumstances. To connect, first press one edge of the cable, and then the other. Pressing on the center of the cable may damage the digital converter.

Step 18: Disconnect the data cable.

Step 19: The front panel is completely detached from the back of the case! Set the display aside.

Step 20: Using blunt tweezers, pry back the ends of the two adhesive strips on the bottom edge of the battery. Important! Use only blunt tweezers or peel back the strips with your fingers. Puncture of a lithium-ion battery may release hazardous chemicals. Important! Hold the battery while removing the second strip.

Step 23 For iPhone 6s Plus only. Gather the ends of all three adhesive strips into one bundle. Important! Try not to twist the strips, keeping them straight at all times.

Step 24: Carefully pull the strips towards the bottom of the iPhone. Pull slowly and try not to let the strips touch the smartphone component to avoid tearing.

Step 25. Remove the old battery and install a new one, after applying adhesive strips to it ( how to stick).

Step 26: Reassemble the iPhone.