If you think your iPhone battery may need replacing in the near future, you still have a few months to save money before Apple puts the prices back up.
Last December, Apple promised it would replace any out-of-warranty iPhone battery for just £25/$29 until the end of 2018. That was a response to furious complaints over its practice of CPU throttling on ageing batteries.
Now we know what the prices will be come January 1. Surprisingly, it’s relatively good news for iPhone users moving forward. Apple is actually lowering the prices somewhat compared to the pre-discount level.
To get an iPhone X or XS/XS Max/XR battery replaced, it’ll cost £65/$69. For older phones, it’ll be just £45/$49 to get a new cell fitted in your handset. That’s down from the £75/$79 Apple was charging for all battery replacements before the throttling controversy began.
Here’s the new listing on Apple’s UK website:
Thanks to the fallout from the controversy – which saw Apple cop to slowing down iPhones with older batteries to guard against unexpected shutdowns – there’s an easy way for iPhone owners to see whether their battery needs to be replaced.
Related: iPhone XR vs iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max
In iOS 11.3 Apple introduced a Battery Health tool, which shows users the percentage of the maximum capacity a battery is operating at. If the battery has degraded significantly, the app will notify users and recommend a replacement to restore maximum capacity.
The message reads: “Your battery’s health is significantly degraded. An Apple Authorized Service Provider can replace the battery to restore full performance and capacity.”
Those with Apple Care+, or with devices within the original warranty, will continue to receive battery replacements for free.
Are you surprised Apple is lowering the battery prices when the replacement program ends at the end of the year? Drop us a line @TrustedReviews on Twitter.
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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.