No reasonable person would purchase a phone knowing that a wear item like a battery can only be obtained by having the manufacturer replace it. Therefore, Apple suddenly adding technological checks to prevent replacing such a wear item without informing the buying public prior to purchase seems like clear and evident intent to defraud the public.
I encourage every person who owns one of the affected products to contact his/her state's Attorney General and demand that legal action be taken on behalf of the public against Apple before other companies decide that they can get away with it and follow suit.
Ok this is napkin math, but the average iPhone age to replacement is about four years now, and there are approx. 190 million iPhones in current use. Apple's battery replacement peaked last year at about 10 million batteries. If we double that to account for non-Apple repair shops to 20 million (which is probably way, way higher than normal), we still have only about 40% of iPhone users changing their batteries during the life of the device.
So yes, in fact, most people that buy an iPhone don't ever expect
Almost everyone who buys a phone would "purchase a phone knowing that a wear item like a battery can only be obtained by having the manufacturer replace it". Very few people care.
Almost everyone who buys a phone would "purchase a phone knowing that a wear item like a battery can only be obtained by having the manufacturer replace it". Very few people care.
Absolutely wrong.
The issue is that most people do not have the trust in their foresight to care before it becomes a problem. Once it becomes an actual problem, almost everyone cares. Stop justifying the abuse of stupid people.
"No reasonable person would purchase a phone knowing that a wear item like a battery can only be obtained by having the manufacturer replace it."
The dumbest thing you're read today. More like the vast majority of phone buyers would have no problem with this and most would never even think of it. Most have never even had to replace a battery in a phone.
Just wait until all those people who've brought electric cars hit the 10 year mark.
Actually, electric cars are pretty easy by comparison. The batteries are huge, and use large, easy-to-work-with cells, so most repairs are likely to involve rebuilding one or more subpacks in the existing packs using commonly available round cells of the same size, plus some basic soldering. Cell phones are much harder to deal with because they use bag cells instead of round cells, with embedded electronics and custom wirin
Most potential customers probably won't bother to know or care. They already pay a premium for an iPhone. Paying more for repairs probably won't surprise them. A Lexus cost more to repair than a Corolla.
However, if Android models start making ad campaigns around the issue, it might dip into iPhone sales, and Apple would start caring.
All prior iPhone models had batteries that were user-replaceable, for a given class of user. I've replaced more than one myself. You can even buy battery kits that come with a suction cup, spudgers, and the right set of weird pentalobe drivers or whatever new wacko type of screw Apple is using this week.
An out-of-warranty battery replacement at the Apple Store on an iPhone X or XS is $69. For older phones, it is $49. That's peanuts. How much would I save by going to one of those fly-by-night mall kiosks? $20 or so? And who knows if the parts they use are OEM, or some dubious crap from Alibaba that may or may not meet spec. Okay, so I have tools and I buy an OEM battery and do the swap myself? How much do I save? $25 or $30? That "
Veni, Vidi, VISA:
I came, I saw, I did a little shopping.
How is this not fraud? (Score:5, Interesting)
No reasonable person would purchase a phone knowing that a wear item like a battery can only be obtained by having the manufacturer replace it. Therefore, Apple suddenly adding technological checks to prevent replacing such a wear item without informing the buying public prior to purchase seems like clear and evident intent to defraud the public.
I encourage every person who owns one of the affected products to contact his/her state's Attorney General and demand that legal action be taken on behalf of the public against Apple before other companies decide that they can get away with it and follow suit.
Re: (Score:1)
Re: (Score:2)
Re:How is this not fraud? (Score:5, Informative)
Almost everyone who buys a phone would "purchase a phone knowing that a wear item like a battery can only be obtained by having the manufacturer replace it". Very few people care.
Re: (Score:2)
I have a 4-year-old iPhone SE I got for "free" with a contract extension. The battery only requires a charge once per day.
I most definitely don't care about this.
Re: (Score:2)
Almost everyone who buys a phone would "purchase a phone knowing that a wear item like a battery can only be obtained by having the manufacturer replace it". Very few people care.
Absolutely wrong.
The issue is that most people do not have the trust in their foresight to care before it becomes a problem. Once it becomes an actual problem, almost everyone cares. Stop justifying the abuse of stupid people.
Re: (Score:2)
"No reasonable person would purchase a phone knowing that a wear item like a battery can only be obtained by having the manufacturer replace it."
The dumbest thing you're read today. More like the vast majority of phone buyers would have no problem with this and most would never even think of it. Most have never even had to replace a battery in a phone.
Re: (Score:2)
Actually, electric cars are pretty easy by comparison. The batteries are huge, and use large, easy-to-work-with cells, so most repairs are likely to involve rebuilding one or more subpacks in the existing packs using commonly available round cells of the same size, plus some basic soldering. Cell phones are much harder to deal with because they use bag cells instead of round cells, with embedded electronics and custom wirin
Re: (Score:1)
Most potential customers probably won't bother to know or care. They already pay a premium for an iPhone. Paying more for repairs probably won't surprise them. A Lexus cost more to repair than a Corolla.
However, if Android models start making ad campaigns around the issue, it might dip into iPhone sales, and Apple would start caring.
Re: (Score:2)
All prior iPhone models had batteries that were user-replaceable, for a given class of user. I've replaced more than one myself. You can even buy battery kits that come with a suction cup, spudgers, and the right set of weird pentalobe drivers or whatever new wacko type of screw Apple is using this week.
Your argument, therefore, is without merit.
Re: (Score:2)
Maybe get some perspective, people?
https://support.apple.com/ipho... [apple.com]
An out-of-warranty battery replacement at the Apple Store on an iPhone X or XS is $69. For older phones, it is $49. That's peanuts. How much would I save by going to one of those fly-by-night mall kiosks? $20 or so? And who knows if the parts they use are OEM, or some dubious crap from Alibaba that may or may not meet spec. Okay, so I have tools and I buy an OEM battery and do the swap myself? How much do I save? $25 or $30? That "