Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Mobile
  3. News

Apple’s cut-price battery offer only has one more week left to run

Trevor Mogg
By

If you’ve been meaning to take advantage of Apple’s deal on a replacement iPhone battery, then you’d better hurry. It only has a week left to run.

The Cupertino, California-based company slashed the cost of its iPhone battery replacement service after admitting last year that it deliberately slowed down some of its handsets to stabilize performance as the battery ages.

Recommended Videos

But Apple plans to revise the cost upward at the start of 2019.

Related

This means that from January 1, a battery replacement for the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, iPhone XR, and iPhone X will cost $69. For all other eligible iPhones, which include the iPhone SE, iPhone 6 and later, the fee will increase from the current $29 to $49. Before Apple cut the cost of replacing a battery, a new one cost $79.

To find out if your iPhone needs a new battery, open the Battery Health tool in your handset’s settings. As its name suggests, Battery Health tells you the condition of your battery. Digital Trends has put together this handy battery health guide to help you interpret the various messages you might see. The feature also lets you disable Apple’s performance management system, though if you do so, your iPhone may sometimes shut down without warning, depending on the condition of the battery.  Apple recommends replacing an iPhone battery once its capacity falls below 80 percent.

If the iPhone is in warranty or part of AppleCare+, your iPhone battery can be replaced free of charge. If you’re not sure if you have AppleCare+ coverage, enter your iPhone’s serial number on this Apple webpage to find out.

Replacements can be carried out at an Apple Store — you may have to book ahead — or at one of its authorized service locations. You can also mail your phone to one of Apple’s repair centers.  Full details are available on the company’s support site.

Many iPhone owners were as surprised as they were peeved that Apple had failed to notify them that it was slowing down some handsets when it began the practice via a software update issued in 2016.

Some claimed Apple’s actions were a deliberate move to frustrate owners with slowed-down phones to encourage them to upgrade to a newer iPhone, a strategy known as planned obsolescence.

But the tech colossus has always insisted its actions were aimed at benefiting users by reducing instances of sudden shutdowns caused by batteries that were past their best. To try to settle the dispute, Apple agreed to slash the cost of battery replacements for the whole of 2018.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Trevor Mogg
Trevor Mogg
Contributing Editor
Not so many moons ago, Trevor moved from one tea-loving island nation that drives on the left (Britain) to another (Japan)…
Everything Apple says is wrong about the DOJ’s iPhone lawsuit
The Apple logo on the iPhone 14 Pro Max.

The antitrust season is in full swing in 2024. This time around, Apple is in the cross-hairs of regulators, bringing back memories of the historic Microsoft antitrust case that unfolded over two decades ago. Back then, the focus was on Windows and web browsers. In Apple’s case, the iPhone is the centerpiece, with a wide ecosystem woven around it.

Experts say the case against Apple, which dives deep into monopolistic conduct, is surprisingly strong. The Department of Justice, in its lawsuit, has targeted everything from the iMessage “green bubble” mess and Apple Watch incompatibility situation to the locked app ecosystem and objectionable practices that Apple has put in place to maintain its alleged monopoly.

Read more
We now know when Apple is adding RCS to the iPhone
The iPhone 14 Plus held in a man's hand.

Last November, Apple made a surprise announcement when it confirmed that RCS was coming to the iPhone in 2024. It's something iPhone and Android phone users alike have been waiting years for, but there was just one small problem: Apple never said when in 2024 RCS was coming. Thanks to Google, of all companies, we now have a better idea of when RCS is heading to the iPhone.

As spotted by 9to5Google, the Android website was recently updated with a new page dedicated to Google Messages. If you click on the "See more features" button for the section talking about RCS, there's a section titled "Better messaging for all" with the following text: "Apple has announced it will be adopting RCS in the fall of 2024. Once that happens, it will mean a better messaging experience for everyone."

Read more
Mophie made one of the cutest iPhone accessories I’ve ever used
Mophie Cherry Blossom 3-in-1 Travel Charger with MagSafe.

Out with the old and in with the new. Spring is finally here, kicking out old man winter and breathing some color back into nature. Plus, the National Cherry Blossom Festival has started in Washington, DC, so if you’re lucky enough to be in the area, take advantage of those gorgeous cherry blossoms!

For those of us who aren’t around for one of the biggest spring celebrations in the U.S., there are other ways to commemorate the season. For example, Mophie recently released a limited edition Cherry Blossom color for its 3-in-1 Travel Charger with MagSafe.

Read more