Apple is now selling replacement batteries for select iPhone models at a discounted rate earlier than we expected.
It recently emerged that Apple had been throttling the performance of older iPhone models in order to improve battery life. In response to the ensuing widespread customer anger, Apple promised to slash the price of its battery replacement service from $79 to $29 for out of warranty handsets.
It was originally expected that Apple would launch this new pricing scheme in late January, but it seems that the company has already kickstarted the discounted service.
In a statement sent to TechCrunch, an Apple spokesperson said: “We expected to need more time to be ready, but we are happy to offer our customers the lower pricing right away. Initial supplies of some replacement batteries may be limited.”
The latter part of the statement means that if you’re currently in possession of an iPhone 6 or later, it may be worth acting quickly to beat the potential rush.
Apple’s slowing-down of old phones had garnered much media attention in recent days, with some critics suggesting it’s a smoking gun of planned obsolescence – a sneaky ploy to entice customers to pay out for newer, more expensive iPhone models.
But Apple maintains that it cut the CPU performance of older models using software updates in an effort to improve battery life. The lithium ion batteries used in an iPhone – and most other smartphones – degrade over time, so battery life will eventually suffer after several hundred charge cycles. By reducing the performance of a handset, it’s possible to artificially boost battery life.
If you’ve got an old iPhone that seems to be performing worse than when you first bought it, it’s entirely possible that swapping the battery out may fix it. It’s worth checking with your local Apple Store, in any case.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
