“Though Apple claims that it was only trying to help customers when it throttled CPU performance on older iPhone models, a good number of iPhone owners clearly think otherwise,” Yoni Heisler reports for BGR. “Hardly a surprise, Apple’s admission that it slowed down iPhones with degraded batteries has led to nearly 60 class-action lawsuits at this point.”
“Apple a few weeks ago started a brand new battery replacement program where iPhone owners can swap out their existing battery for a brand new one for just $29,” Heisler reports. “Barclays analyst Mark Moskowitz recently issued an investor note claiming that wait times for new iPhone batteries are actually becoming longer… it now stands at about 3-4.5 weeks, up from about 2-3 weeks not too long ago.”
In our base case scenario, 10% of those 519M users take the $29 offer, and around 30% of them decide not to buy a new iPhone this year. This means around 16M iPhone sales could be at risk, creating ~4% downside to our current revenue estimate for C2018. — Barclays analyst Mark Moskowitz
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: If iPhone sales are negatively impacted, you can see why some think that Apple wanted to keep what they were doing a secret. If people knew that a $79 battery replacement would give them an iPhone that performed like it did on day one, a meaningful percentage would take that option versus buying a new iPhone. Now that it’s just $29 this year, that percentage will naturally increase.
Then again, as Hanlon’s razor states: “Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity.”
Apple’s made up of people. People are imperfect. We’ll take Apple’s word for it that they “always wanted… customers to be able to use their iPhones as long as possible” and that they “have never — and would never — do anything to intentionally shorten the life of any Apple product, or degrade the user experience to drive customer upgrades.”
SEE ALSO:
Analyst: Apple’s ‘batterygate’ solution may mean 16 million fewer iPhones sold this year – January 3, 2018
An Apple conspiracy theory blooms – January 2, 2018
Apple clarifies policy on $29 battery replacements: All iPhone 6 and later devices are eligible – January 2, 2018
Why Apple’s response to iPhone ‘batterygate’ is brilliant – December 30, 2017
Australian lawyers to launch largest-ever class action against Apple over iPhone ‘batterygate’ – December 29, 2017
The most annoying things about Apple’s iPhone ‘batterygate’ apology – December 29, 2017
iFixit discounts iPhone battery replacement kits as Apple cuts prices, apologizes for the confusion – December 29, 2017
15 class action lawsuits filed against Apple for throttling iPhones with aging batteries – December 29, 2017
Apple apologizes for poor communication about iPhone batteries and performance; slashes battery replacement cost from $79 to $29 – December 28, 2017
No, Apple’s throttling of iPhones with aging batteries is not planned obsolescence – December 28, 2017
Apple execs face jail in France after lawsuit over slowing down iPhones – December 28, 2017
Korea seeks explanation from Apple for slowing down devices without warning – December 28, 2017
Apple now facing 8 lawsuits over throttling processors in iPhones with aging batteries – December 27, 2017
Apple tarnished their brand with clandestine iPhone battery management and processor throttling – December 27, 2017
Should Apple replace aging iPhone batteries for free instead of throttling processor speed? – December 21, 2017
Apple confirms iPhones with older batteries will take hits in performance – December 20, 2017
iPhone performance and battery age – December 18, 2017
Apple met with Chinese regulators to discuss iPhone 6s unexpected shutdowns – February 10, 2017
Rumor: Apple may extend iPhone 6s battery replacement program to iPhone 6 – January 17, 2017
A message from Apple about iPhone and unexpected shutdowns – December 2, 2016
Apple offers free battery replacement for ‘very small number’ of iPhone 6s units with unexpected shutdown issue – November 21, 2016
The current non-serviceability intentionally limits the life of ALL Apple products.
The no-SD situation in iOS shortens the life of a unit that was purchased under-speced by the buyer, as their needs grew.
I have a iPhone 5s and live in Pasadena California. Took it to a small independent iPhone and Mac repair shop and they replaced my battery in 10 minutes, as I waited for $42 after tax. F-the Apple store.
Di-No? 🙂
Yeah, my Apple Store apt is almost at 4 weeks now. Since it’s a second phone, I’m in no hurry. But otherwise, I always use Di-No and have for like 25 years!
First world problem. Just ordered a replacement battery for my iPhone 6 Plus on Friday, Feb 23rd. My iPhone sometimes quits when battery level is 12 percent or less. And only sometimes. Most of the time restarting the iPhone allows me to use the remaining battery power. No problem waiting a month. My iPhone works when I need it.
Will post again on this issue summarizing my experience when the battery is replaced. Expecting a month or more before getting a new battery. My only complaint so far is Apple should extend the $30 battery replacement program for longer than a year for the effected models. Other than that, all is good.
Oh, noes! A full month. That’s like… forever for people addicted to their smartphones. Why is it that no other smartphone company has these issues. There’s a couple of billion Android smartphones on this planet and I’ve never heard of this situation before. Don’t batteries die in Android smartphones just like they do in iPhones?
Oh, well. If I desperately needed a new iPhone battery, I’d probably take it to a local shop that does battery replacements and grudgingly pay for it out of my own pocket. I can always sue Apple for something else because it’s such a fashionable thing to do.
Top 10 Hot Tubs ADs everywhere!
HELP
Took my iPhone to Staples today. Within a few hours they had opened it, replaced the battery with a nonworking battery, returned the original battery, broken during the removal, and handed me a bricked iPhone.
Well, it looks like Barclays reads my MDN comments!
(or that what I was saying really was _that_ obvious)
Mistakes like ‘batterygate’ – – regardless of how well intentioned the company tries to address it (if/when they ever come to public light) – – will invariably drive forward the consumer’s “Right to Repair”.
Regardless of what companies like Apple want for themselves, for their own corporate (not consumer) benefit – and that we can easily see by how the “Oops” battery program’s $79 to $29 price drop wasn’t permanent, but limited to but one year.
But gosh golly, its a great thing that my cellphone & laptop are 2mm thinner than they would otherwise be if they had been designed to be maintainable! /S
Even if it wasn’t starting to show symptoms, I will be having my battery replaced by Apple just on principle, to remind them that they’ve lost their customer-first vision…
…just as how I was reminded again this week that Apple has also deliberately gimped Apple-Approved iPhone peripherals (Belkin, of all vendors – – on a Lightning cable bought in the Apple Store).
Got my 6s battery on Tuesday, waited 2wks, 5 days. Of course it could have come in over the weekend, but they contacted me on Monday.
Did you have to initially go to the genius bar to start the process, or could you do it online, and then only have to make 1 trip?
I had to make two trips. When scheduling the appointment, the site asked for the reason, and I gave them battery replacement. They scheduled the date (next day), I came, they looked at the phone, took the serial No., determined eligibility and prepared a work order to replace the battery. The guy then told me that they don’t have the required part in stock (battery) and will notify me via e-mail when it arrives. They also told me that the process takes a few hours.
Two weeks later, I got the e-mail, which told me to schedule another appointment within one week in order to finish the work order. If I don’t do it within a week, the battery will be released to someone else. I dropped the phone off in the morning (10am), and they notified me it was ready around 12 noon.
There you have it. This was in Apple Store Grand Central Terminal, NYC. Your mileage may vary.
Yep, I though so. It would be cool if you could just enter your serial # online and they could verify eligibility without having you have to make that initial trip, and just have to make one trip. Too much to ask for a multi billion $ company, I suppose.