“Apple Inc. recently announced its battery replacement program for the iPhone 5 after discovering that ‘a very small percentage of iPhone 5 devices may suddenly experience shorter battery life or need to be charged more frequently,'” Luke Villapaz reports for International Business Times.
“Affected iPhone 5 models were sold between September 2012 and January 2013 and fall within a limited range of serial numbers, according to the tech titan,” Villapaz reports. “Apple has set up a webpage where iPhone 5 users can check their eligibility for replacement batteries.”
Villapaz reports, “The company began replacing iPhone 5 handsets in the U.S. and China Aug. 22, and it will expand the program to all countries Aug. 29.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Note: If your iPhone is in working order and exhibits the symptoms noted above, use Apple’s serial number checker to see if it is eligible for this program here.
My high score was a 69% shutdown last week. Mine is eligable… Next week it’s on its way.
Checked, and YES… New battery for me. Scheduled… Crap maybe they will replace the phone with some other problem..
Sell – NEW BATTERY — LIKE NEW — Direct from Apple, 1 month old $500 unlocked.
Getting “We’re sorry, there was a problem processing your request. Please try again in a few minutes.” when trying to check.
Your phone has to be eligible AND fail the battery test. Just because your serial number shows eligible does not mean you’re getting a battery.
Thankfully I’m eligible. My Serial # is accepted and my iPhone already failed the battery test at the Apple Store 2 months ago, but I decided to not paying to replace it since it wasn’t that long to my due upgrade. Now I will get it replaced since I’m giving the old phone to someone else, will save them money anyway.
Nope. Not eligible even though my battery life is complete crap if I actually use my phone. Doesn’t help that my volume-down button is broken (which has been since right around the 1-year mark), and that my Lightning port has stopped charging regardless of the cable I use unless it’s nudged askew in the phone juuuuust right.
This is my fourth iPhone. My original iPhone, my 3Gs, and my 4 were all perfect the entire 2+ years I used them. Not a single issue that I recall. In stark contrast, my iPhone 5 has been a total fail quality-wise even though I pamper it like all my Apple stuff. I’ve never been disappointed or let down by an Apple product before this iPhone. It just doesn’t seem like the quality or quality control is quite where it was previously.
I think I’ll try taking it into an Apple store and see if they’ll do anything for me given all the issues on a single device. I could handle just paying to replace the battery if it weren’t for the other two major issues.
Neither my 5 or 5s fall within the serial number ranges. The 5s battery doesn’t last all that long but is acceptable; the 5 is 2 years old and still performs extremely well. You must be very rough on your equipment despite what you said. I’ve dropped both phones onto concrete about 4 times and they are rugged enough to still work fine, just a few scratches.
No, I’m not “rough” on my equipment at all. In fact, my phone’s never been dropped onto concrete, tile, or hardwood. The worst that’s happened to it is that it slid off the nightstand and my desk onto a carpeted floor. It’s in a case, and it looks pristine. You’d barely be able to tell it isn’t brand new. It doesn’t even have a scratch on it. I’m not sure how I could have possibly treated it any nicer and still actually used it.
My wife dropped her iPhone 5s for the first time last week (about 10 months old) on the sidewalk. Screen shattered.
We went to Apple repair store. They would not fix it. Said we don’t have AppleCare PLUS and we need to buy a new phone for $450. Told us that we would only have to pay $108 if we has AC+
No way….
Went to the local shop. Paid the guy $150 and got a brand new piece of glass on it now.
Ours lasted one drop. Not sure how people get 4+ drops. Count yourself lucky.
That’s weird. I had a broken screen and only had to pay 150 from the apple store. This was for a iPhone 5, not 5s…but this was also when the 5s wasn’t even out yet. You must have had a bad genius, because they are suppose to fix the phone for a small fee and the replacement part…not the whole phone itself. Also, those third party shops can be shady, my friend replaced his own screen once and did it for 20 bucks…but then come to find out the screen quit working a week later. so, you don’t know what kind of parts these third parties are using.
All depends on how it hits the ground, luck, and I’m sure the case style comes into play. I have a rubberish, $15 Casemate animal case, my brother in law has something else. My iPhone is 2 years old and has hit the hard kitchen tile floor (thanks to a pet) at least 15 times a month for 2 years and never broke anything. (Pet should be a Casemate ad.) My brother in law dropped his once on the driveway. Smashed glass.
The problem with your Lightning port is a build up of “pocket lint” in the port. My son and I both had to have them cleaned out at an Apple Store, a 5 minute job.
Good call on the pocket lint. That’s exactly what it was. A little digging around with a small plastic “tweaker tool” I have, and a little canned air, and it’s good to go again. Now, if I could only get my volume button working that easily!
Oh, and thanks!
I knew I was going to be accepted. Had issues for last 6 months. For ex.: battery on 45% then down to 1% and would shut down. Plugged in, 5 minutes later back up to 45%. Went to my local NJ store Sat. ( crazy busy). Had to leave for 3 hrs. Working great now. Was told if replacemevr had issues with something breaking (a tab?) and would get a loaner. Never needed.
Yes my iPhone is eligible. I took it to an Apple Genius and was told the battery was defective and needed to be replaced . . . for a fee. I asked and was told it didn’t mater if they did it or a third party replaced it because it was out of warrantee, so I payed $50 to have a third party iPhone specialist replace it last month.
Now what do I do?
If the phone is eligible, replacement is free unless there is a cracked screen or some other damage.
Check to see if a battery is in stock. The program was announced on Friday and both Austin Apple Stores were out by Saturday afternoon. I made a Genius appointment online for the first Sunday slot and was put on the wait list after I erased my phone and drove 25 miles.
I went through 20% of my charge just typing this.
The Apple web page gives instructions on what to do if you have already replaced the battery on an eligible phone.
I missed that, thanks!
All iOS devices show much shorter life since iOS7. Even changing preferences to improve life does not offset all of it.
iOS7 is an energy hog- from iPod Touch to iPad Air.
Rubbish.
That is an opinion, iOS 7 devices still have poor battery life.
All you do is freakin’ troll DE. Get lost.
Trolling on Macs since 1984, Apple ][ Before that.
Not a troll, just not a Fanboi, blindly rooting for Apple.
The simple fact is that iOS 7 devices have shorter battery life with a similar setup. How is stating a fact being a troll?
Mine is now nearly two years old and has suddenly started showing battery issues, in particular last Saturday, when it would get to around 45% then shut down. Saw the Apple notice yesterday, and checked my number and I’m eligible, so I’m backing it up and making an appointment at my nearest Apple Store. Other than this battery issue, it’s been faultless from new.
As is my iP4, apart from the hinky home button issue common to that model, that I can live with.
Too bad I had to replace my iPhone 5 battery a few months ago. I was having issues of charging it to 100% then unplugging it and going straight down to 80%. Since I didn’t have AppleCare I had to pay out of pocket. $80 for a new battery. I should bitch and get a refund.
If your serial number is approved you could try it. Apple has done such things in the past, you’ve got nothing to lose by trying.
Mine was one, the battery was swelling and beginning to press against the inside of the screen causing a blue streak down the center. Made a genius appointment, took the phone in, walked out with a replacement phone 10 minutes later. That’s Apple, always good customer service 🙂
Two years ago the four in my family 4s’. Three had the switch problem and two have battery problems. Three of those are just 26 months old.