iPhone Battery Replacement An Unwelcome Surprise 629
epidemic99 writes "Apple has released what it will cost to replace the battery in the iPhone, and consumers might be a bit put off. Replacement is a tricky ordeal, as the battery is apparently soldered into the device. The service will cost $79, plus $6.95 for shipping, plus an optional $29 'loaner iPhone' rental. A consumer advocacy group sent a letter to Apple complaining that this information was not made public before iPhone's release since the cost of the battery replacement is so high. Even reviewer Harvey Rosenfield, who is usually very kind to Apple, was quoted as saying 'some of them might be waking up now, wondering who they got in bed with.'" Update: 07/06 21:06 GMT by Z : Fixed incorrect attribution of quote to Mossberg.
after seeing the iPhone dissected... (Score:2, Interesting)
They did not make it easy to change the SIM card or the battery in this device. While it is a really cool phone/camera/internet doom-a-flitchy device, I have to wonder what they will do if the battery is found to be defective or something. What is rather funny is that all the main chips in the device seem to be made by samsung for apple.
What about backups? (Score:1, Interesting)
no surprise, part of the plan (Score:5, Interesting)
Warranty repair? (Score:5, Interesting)
oh dear (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:oh dear (Score:3, Interesting)
The cost is about right I'd say (Score:3, Interesting)
Now with the Iphone, you have a battery with twice the capacity of the competing smart-phone batteries. Actually if you consider what the phone is actually powering--a fast processor, wifi, and big screen--the battery is likely even larger than twice the capacity. So it's not a cheap battery.
When it dies some day replacing it would be, the equivalent of replacing two of the half-capacity interchangable batteries on your smart phone.
For that $79 seems like a very fair price. In the mean time you have not been hauling around another battery in your pocket and having to fret about keeping it charged.
people are whiners.
Re:$87? Big deal! (Score:3, Interesting)
The wires are laid horizontally, and can weave through a space above and to the side of the mainboard too small to solder a proper battery interface onto. I'm not sure what you mean by a secondary capture mechanism. The battery appears to be loose [ifixit.com] and is held in place by the casing and components surrounding it. Thus Apple saved a lot of space on having no battery compartment, allowing them to use a larger battery. (Looking at the disassembly photos, I'd guess that the battery is taking up as much as 50% of the iPhone's internal spaces.)
Re:based on the cost... (Score:2, Interesting)
3 years? If the iPhone battery lasts through 3 years of daily use and recharging, I'll be impressed!
You apple bashers don't understand something (Score:3, Interesting)
If you bought an iPhone without being familiar with Apple, and without doing preliminary research, and can't accept this battery replacement policy, you need to understand something: it's entirely your fault. No one forced you to buy the iPhone. Anyone that plops down $670 for a product without doing preliminary research on the company deserves what they get.
For instance, searching for "apple battery life" on google, gives this as the first non-apple result: iPod and iPhone Battery FAQ [ipodbatteryfaq.com]. This site was updated with information the day of the launch of the iPhone.
Personally, my iPhone keeps on growing on me every day. I feel that it's going to just get better over time. If I hadn't bought one, I would definitely get one of the 2nd gens and I may upgrade to that anyway, and sell my used one on ebay or give it to my sister.
Re:300-400 charges, at least 2-3 years (Score:4, Interesting)
From all the stuff I read about different battery technologies, keeping cells fully charged whenever possible (without overcharging) is the best way of maximizing a battery's useful lifespan... and it seems this is even more important/effective with lithium batteries.
Re:$87? Big deal! (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:$87? Big deal! (Score:3, Interesting)
I'd also recommend you check out some of the older handheld VHF radios if you think a two piece iPhone would be a good option. They're rugged, but certainly not user friendly. Granted some of that would be less of a problem with the smaller batteries we have these days, but my point was, there's no need for it, when the market they are trying to reach doesn't give a damn either way.
Would more people be happy if they could change the battery easily? Absolutely. Should Apple try and reach that market? Questionable. If you can change the battery easily, that means someone will produce lower quality after-market batteries. Odds are, Apple would have to eat the cost of any problems caused by those batteries should the phone still be under warranty when said problems occur. This way, Apple reduces their support costs and (my guess is) >90% of their demographic is happy with the final product. Why risk higher cost for a few % of people to be more happy with a product that they essentially like already?
This is to avoid exploding iPhones (Score:1, Interesting)
Re:$87? Big deal! (Score:3, Interesting)
Putting aside for a moment that the edge connecters I've seen are too small to fit in the space provided, what would hold it in contact with the battery at all times? The battery is not secured, so the possibility exists that it could come loose. And since the iPhone is a sealed unit (more or less) you'd need professional repair every time it was loosened.
To prevent that issue, you would need a battery compartment. A battery compartment takes up space and adds expense and complexity to the manufacture. (Not to mention additional heat issues that are not as pressing with a loose battery.) Without a compartment to secure the battery, you get a few more millimeters of battery space here and there. Which can potentially add anywhere from minutes to hours to the battery's life.
Re:gee, you cant' change the battery on any other (Score:3, Interesting)