iPod Users Get Official Battery Replacement

turkmenistani writes "It's about time. After much complaining from iPod owners, Apple has finally started an official Official iPod Battery replacement (requires a free Apple ID). Although battery replacements have been available for older iPods for some time now, Apple has finally taken heed to their user requests and are now offering the service. From the Support page: 'If your iPod fails to hold a charge and it's more than a year old, you may need a new battery. Click Continue to order iPod battery service for $99 USD. This program is not available in Europe at this time.' Although the service is $99, they state in the article 'iPod equipment that is sent in for battery service or service requiring other repairs will be replaced with functionally equivalent new, used, or refurbished iPod equipment. You will not receive the same iPod that was sent in for service.' So make sure you back up that music before shipping it off!"

This makes a lot of sense

1) A user sends in his iPod with a battery that's not working.

2) Apple sends him a refurbished iPod of the same type.

3) Apple then refurbishes the user's original iPod, getting it ready to redistribute elsewhere.

Not only is this quick, but it makes a lot of sense! Of course, the refurbished iPods have to be in mint condition, but otherwise what's not to like (except the fact that it needs to be sent away and shipped back, instead of just purchasing a replacement battery at Apple)?

Re:This is bullshit

Engraved ones are handled differently--the one you get back will have the same engraving.

I've had my iPod replaced before, and the replacement looked identical to a new iPod, to my eyes. I think your concerns are pretty unfounded.

no issue

The one you get back will have the rear/chrome engraved cover swapped onto it...takes only a few minutes, but requires manual processing and thus take a few more days overall. This does take you out of the running for a chance at getting a newer/better model, however.

Re:What's not to like?!?

The cost of producing a product with a user-replacable battery is significantly higher than making the battery a sealed-unit part of the device.

I know, I've participated in battery compartment design for small handheld medical devices. It can end up being a huge part of the cost of developing a product. If you haven't done weeks and weeks of drop-testing battery contacts after customer-return problems, you wouldn't understand...

engraved iPods could be a problem

So what happens if you have one the engraved iPods? I can just hear my wife when I get the "new" one back -- "Who's Vanessa???"

What about personalization?

Didn't RTFA, 'cause I don't have an Apple ID - maybe someone who did RTFA can say if Apple answers this question:

Does Apple just refurb the "guts" of the iPod, or the whole thing? I've noticed that Apple offers engraving / personalization in their store - I would hope that they would only change the internal hardware, and leave the shell alone in the case of a personalized iPod.

iPod is on my list, but I don't think Santa's gonna be that generous this year... :-(

This is why I love apple.

back when I had a G3 lombard, they replaced my power brick free of charge. Now, the iPod batteries. I love you apple.

$99?

You have to be kidding! I know the iPods are still in the early/expensive phase, but a hundred bucks for a battery is highway robbery, especially as they don't seem to last more than a year.

Are there any third-party developers making cheaper versions? Sounds like there is a market there.

Re:$99?

Do the math on it:

Minimum of a year's worth of batteries. Let's be generous and say two AAs.

Ten hours of play a day, for three hundred sixty-five days. If one set of batteries, let's say, lasts for two of those charges, and you listen for five hours a day on average, you're looking at buying about ninety pair of AAs a year. At two bucks a pop--minimum, for good 2-packs of AA batteries, that's more than you pay for the replacement battery which will give you a year of play, in theory, at the minimum. And it doesn't waste battery carcasses, which is good for the environment. /And/ you don't have to deal with buying batteries (always an annoyance that can be done without), and weak-ass battery compartments that fly open at the slightest hint of shock.

Now, if I've underestimated how long the batteries would drive an iPod, let's double their life up there. That cuts your yearly AA pair consumption in half, to about 45. That's /still/ only a couple of bucks shy of a replacement battery from Apple.

How is this highway robbery?

Postscript: Long day. Math may be wrong. Please do not flame. Thanks, Management.

Re:$99?

Uhuh. If you compare with NiMH, however, you lose.

Well. Uh... cool?

After much complaining from iPod owners

Well. That's nice if your battery is dead, but just how many iPods are there with dead batteries anyway? I have had my own iPod for over a year now, and the battery is just fine even though I listen to the iPod daily. One charge lasts to me about 10 hours.

iPodlounge has btw some tips [ipodlounge.com] how to recharge and use the iPod to maximaze battery lifetime.

And if your iPod isn't in mint shape ?

Mine has a very, very nice scratch all along the right side. Does this mean if I replace the battery I'll get one without the scratch?

Another way this program could be used

1. User buys new iPod.
2. Several years later, iPod dies.
3. User blames the problem on a dead battery (even though that might not be the case) and sends iPod back to Apple.
4. User gets new/refurbished iPod.

Article forgot to mention..

AppleCare for iPod [apple.com].

Apple just began selling extended coverage for iPod. @ $59 USD. As for the battery, it can be obtained cheaper from ipodbattery.com; unlike in the past, now they sell all generation replacement batteries.

Hope this helps.

Someone has to say this...

Apple seems to always put itself in the position of making it's customers very unhappy. If they send you back another ipod and say something fails on it (hdrive or anything else) they have opened themselves up to big problems. Who is to say that the ipod you sent in would have failed in the same manor. These ipods aren't coming back with a warranty on anything. I think that this is a bad way for apple to handle this. I can't understand why they don't have this kind of thing happen out of the genius bar. Opening the ipod is trivial, and replacing the battery is equally trivial.

RIAA rapid commandos on their way as of now

The RIAA rapid-action commandos are scrambling as of now.

Destination: Apple headquarters.

Primary Objective: ensure that any Apple employee does not listen either intentionally or unintentionally to any iPod sent in for battery replacement. That would be a clear infrigement of intellectual property. Royaltes must be paid for any complete songs or fragments overheard.

Secondary Objective: nail some of those PowerBooks...

I repeat, I repeat: all units head to Apple HQ immediately.

dani++

AppleCare available for iPods as well, $59.

AppleCare for iPod [apple.com] is only $59, and extends the phone/mail-in-repair warranty from 90 days/1 year to 2 years/2 years. It covers the battery, as well as the rest of the iPod and all the stuff that comes with it in the box. So if you've got an iPod less than a year old, you can pick that up now. Nicely cheaper than the battery replacement service. I'll probably be getting it for my wife's 10GB iPod - didn't even know the headphones that died were still under warranty.

Oh...

What about those of us who develop a strong emotional attachment to our iPods. I cant bear the thought of my iPod... in another's greasy hands. The thought gives me shivers.

So, if you live in Europe...

Click Continue to order iPod battery service for $99 USD. This program is not available in Europe at this time.

So, either:

1) iPods shipped in Europe have batteries that never wear down or need replacing; or

2) European customers just got shafted again.

Hint: the answer's an even number. Why is it that iPod owners who don't live in North America should have to wait to buy something that's probably smaller than a box of matches? And how long will they have to wait? Three months? Six months? A year?

Response to complaints?

It's about time. After much complaining from iPod owners, Apple has finally started an official Official iPod Battery replacement

Is this a response to complaints, or is it just possible that we are just now reaching the time when some of the third-generation iPods are getting old enough for Apple to actually need this program?

But that would mean tha all previous whining was just a speculative over-reaction to "you can't replace the battery" FUD, and we can't go thinking that now, can we?

Re:Wait, wait

of course, a walkman plays shitty cassette tapes for maybe an hour and a half, and my ipod plays excellent quality MP3 or AAC files for a week straight.

yeah, almost the same thing, there.

*plonk*

Re:Wait, wait

You can change your own batteries, but if you don't want to void your waranty, you're better off sending it back.