Apple today said it will significantly drop the cost of replacing iPhone batteries in order to appease customers upset about their device’s performance.
“We’ve been hearing feedback about the way we handle performance for iPhones with older batteries and how we have communicated that process. We know that some of you feel Apple has let you down. We apologize,” said Apple in a letter posted to its web site.
Apple explained that it tweaked some performance parameters in older iPhones in order to prevent battery-related shutdowns. The result is sometimes-slower speeds on devices such as the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6s. Apple maintains that it took steps necessary to account for the behavior of lithium-ion batteries as they age.
“We 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,” explained Apple. “Our goal has always been to create products that our customers love, and making iPhones last as long as possible is an important part of that.”
Many customers felt they had been misled over the performance degradation issue, while some have filed lawsuits against Apple.
In order to address customer concerns, the company is dropping the out-of-warrany cost of replacing the battery in an iPhone 6, 6 Plus, 6s, 6s Plus, or SE from $79 to $29 beginning late next month through December 2018.
Plus, Apple plans to issue a software update with new features that will give iPhone owners more visibility into the health of their handset’s battery. Apple says this will let people see for themselves if the battery’s condition is impacting the iPhone’s overall performance.
Replacing the battery in an older iPhone should fully mitigate the speed issue experience on many handsets.
More information regarding the specifics of the replacement battery program will be available early next month.
