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Apple's Becoming A Nicer Company: Unikrn CEO Rahul Sood On 'Battery-Gate' | CNBC

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Elid Pinto
Diego Angarita
Cristóbal Velásquez

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The so-called "batterygate" drama in 2017 resulted in an apology of sorts and a reduced cost iPhone battery replacement program. But, if you need one you'd better hurry, because that offer runs out at the end of 2018.

Editor's note: this is one of the biggest consumer-facing stories of 2018, and it has an expiration date. If you need that new battery for your iPhone, you're about out of time to get it.

If your iPhone 6 or other covered model is running slowly, time is running out to do something about it -at least the time is running out to pay less than full price for the service. Apple has been running a reduced cost battery replacement program in response to customer complaints but this ends on December 31, 2018. Thereafter, replacing any iPhone battery will cost you $49 for the iPhone 8 and older, $69 for the iPhone X, iPhone XS family, and iPhone XR instead of the current $29.

The reduced price covers the iPhone 6 and also newer models up to and including the iPhone X and iPhone 8 family. All you have to do is either take your phone to a Genius Bar appointment in an Apple Store or send it in to Apple for repair.

You can check the general state of your battery with a new option in Settings that was introduced as part of this process. Choose Battery, then Battery Health and you'll see a very basic report. It just says what the maximum capacity of your battery is and whether it is capable of working at peak performance. If it isn't, then you'll see a warning message that recommends you get the battery replaced.

To get that done, start at Apple's online support page and choose iPhone, then Battery & Charging and lastly Battery replacement.

If you're close enough to an Apple Store, your best bet by far is to click on Bring In for Repair. That's obviously because it's faster to take it into a store and wait than use shipping to get your phone to and from Apple.

It might still take you a time to get a Genius Bar appointment at a time that's convenient to you. However, once you do, the Apple Store will most likely have replacement batteries in stock and it should generally take less than three hours to do.

We've had longer waits and at times, especially early in the year, there were delays while stores didn't have batteries in stock but that situation appears to be alleviated now. There was also an issue that in theory Apple could test your battery, decide it was healthy and not issue you the discounted rate. That, too, appears to be gone: if you want a replacement battery even if it passes battery health tests, just ask and you'll get one for that $29.

And if your battery really is unhealthy right now, you will see a significant speed improvement when you get it replaced.

Even after January 1, 2019, you'll still be able to get a replacement. It's just that you can see that same improvement for fifty bucks less if you get it in before then.

This year-long reduced cost program has been Apple's apology for how it handled changing iOS to keep older phones working longer. Before it added the publicly-accessible Battery Health option in Settings, Apple included the ability for iOS to assess that health.

Make no mistake -batteries have always been consumable items, and not eternal. They are chemical and physical processes, and they do wear out and break down as time goes on. What changed a year ago is how Apple demonstrates that to the user.

If your battery was showing enough signs of aging, iOS would slow itself down to stay running and not say it was doing so. Apple says that the alternative was to keep apps and the iOS running at maximum speed regardless of how much power the battery could deliver -but users would have faced the phones crashing with no warning should the phone's power demand exceed what a chemically depleted battery could deliver.

"It should go without saying that we think sudden, unexpected shutdowns are unacceptable." said Apple in an open letter to customers. "We don't want any of our users to lose a call, miss taking a picture or have any other part of their iPhone experience interrupted if we can avoid it."

The trouble is that although Apple said all this, it said it late. It could have told us beforehand, and maybe convince us that it was a good feature for preserving the life of phones. Instead, it told us after people had found their phones running slowly and concocted conspiracy theories about Apple deliberately throttling old phones to make us buy new ones.

Lawsuits were launched and claims were made about the company acting in "deceptive, immoral, and unethical" ways. Apple issued its public apology in December last year and announced the reduced-cost battery program would run for all of 2018. It also reached out to customers who'd bought a full-price replacement battery throughout 2017.

Keep up with AppleInsider by downloading the AppleInsider app for iOS, and follow us on YouTube, Twitter @appleinsider and Facebook for live, late-breaking coverage. You can also check out our official Instagram account for exclusive photos.

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Reminder: Apple's $29 iPhone battery replacement program ends December 31

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The so-called "batterygate" drama in 2017 resulted in an apology of sorts and a reduced cost iPhone battery replacement program. But, if you need one you'd better hurry, because that offer runs out at the end of 2018. Editor's note: this is one of the biggest consumer-facing stories of 2018, and it has an expiration date.

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Joven de 17 años descubre falla de batería en su equipo Apple.

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Joven de 17 años descubre falla de batería en su equipo Apple.

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Este 2017 será recordado por Apple por un escándalo sin precedentes que ha terminado con la marca de la manzana mordida pidiendo perdón a sus usuarios, cambiando su política de sustituciones, ofreciendo más transparencia y con tantas demandas que algunas de ellas pueden acabar llevando a algún directivo a la cárcel.

Sí, nos referimos al batterygate o cómo Apple ha ralentizado ciertos modelos de iPhone cuando sus respectivas baterías se encontraban algo deterioradas, reduciendo la velocidad de su procesador a través de las actualizaciones. A nadie le gusta que su móvil vaya lento, pero cuando has comprado un tope de gama, duele más. Eso es lo que debió pensar Tyler Barney, un joven de 17 años de Tennessee cuando destapó el escándalo sin querer.

Te puede interesar | Tras el escándalo de las baterías de iPhone: ¿Actualizar o no actualizar?

iOS 11, contigo empezó todo

El batterygate del iPhone va camino de costarle a Apple muchos quebraderos de cabeza, cambios en su forma de entender el negocio, dinero y un borrón en su cuidada imagen de marca.

Pero los desencadenantes de la tragedia son mucho más sencillos y seguramente muchos nos sentiremos identificados con su protagonista. Tyler Barney, que estudia en el instituto Mt Juliet, lo explica así:

Era un desastre todo el rato. Incluso escribir era un dolor. Le costaba segundos procesar cada letra.

En un principio culpó a iOS 11, por ello estaba algo desesperado esperando que Apple lanzase una actualización que mejorase el rendimiento de su móvil. Así que mientras tanto probó el iPhone 6 antiguo de su hermano. Sí, era un modelo más viejo que el suyo, pero iba mejor.

Te puede interesar | Por qué no debería preocuparte que Apple ralentice sus iPhone

Echando un ojo a internet descubrió que quizás sustituir la batería le daría un respiro a su iPhone 6s y así lo hizo. Solo con cambiar la batería de su iPhone 6s por una nueva, los benchmarks de su dispositivo cambiaban: de pasar de ser unos inferiores a los de fábrica a recuperar su velocidad. ¡Qué curioso! Tanto es así que lo publicó en Reddit y el resto es historia.

Via | Daily Mail

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Un adolescente de 17 años fue quien descubrió el "batterygate"

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Este 2017 será recordado por Apple por un escándalo sin precedentes que ha terminado con la marca de la manzana mordida pidiendo perdón a sus usuarios, cambiando su política de sustituciones, ofreciendo más transparencia y con tantas demandas que algunas de ellas pueden acabar llevando a algún directivo a la cárcel.

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Política de reparación de baterías de Apple

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Política de reparación de baterías de Apple

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iPhone battery replacement

If your iPhone is covered by warranty, AppleCare+, or consumer law, we'll replace your battery at no charge. Not sure if you're covered? Check if you have AppleCare+ by entering your iPhone serial number.

If your iPhone has any damage that impairs the replacement of the battery, such as a cracked screen, that issue will need to be resolved prior to the battery replacement. In some cases, there may be a cost associated with the repair.

See the chart below for battery replacement pricing for all iPhone models.
Start a battery replacement
iPhone battery replacement pricing - United States

iPhone model

In-warranty or with AppleCare+

Out of warranty

iPhone X, iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max,
iPhone XR, iPhone 11 Pro Max, iPhone 11 Pro,
iPhone 11

$0

$69

iPhone SE,
iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus,
iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus,
iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus,
iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus,
and all other eligible models

$0

$49

These prices apply only to battery repairs made by Apple. Pricing offered by Apple Authorized Service Providers may vary. We'll add a $6.95 shipping fee if your repair requires shipping and isn't covered under warranty or AppleCare+. All fees are in USD and exclude local tax.

Your repair options

Send in for repair

Avoid waiting for an appointment or traveling to a store. We can send you a box right away to collect your iPhone. Arrange a shipment to an Apple Repair Center and we'll replace your battery and deliver your iPhone back to you in 3-5 business days.
Bring in for repair
Make an appointment at an Apple Store or one of our Apple authorized service locations. We'll try to fix your iPhone during your visit. In more complex cases, we might need to send it to an Apple Repair Center. If we do, your iPhone will be ready for pickup in 3-5 business days.

To protect your data, learn how to get your iPhone ready for service.

iPhone power issues

Some iPhone power issues are caused by factors other than the battery. If you can't turn on your iPhone, follow these steps to see if the issue resolves.

We'll test your iPhone to see if it has a battery issue or a different power issue. If your iPhone has a non-battery power issue, we'll give you the repair price after we determine the cause. To identify your issue and set up service, start a service request.

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iPhone Battery Replacement - Official Apple Support

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Need more power? Apple authorized service providers can replace your iPhone battery.

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Apple admitted Wednesday that it had been throttling the performance of older iPhone models.

The company says the action is meant to keep older devices functional and prevent an issue with older batteries.

Opinions on the matter have been polarizing, but Apple has said it will continue the practice.

Social media has been abuzz amid news that Apple has been intentionally limiting the performance of older iPhone models. But what does that mean, and why is that important?

Here are all the important details to know.

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Batterygate: How Apple secretly slowed down older iPhones and why it's such a big deal

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Apple admitted Wednesday that it had been throttling the performance of older iPhone models. The company says the action is meant to keep older devices functional and prevent an issue with older batteries. Opinions on the matter have been polarizing, but Apple has said it will continue the practice.

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Consumers riled up about Apple's "Batterygate" scandal

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In the wake of negative reaction to iPhone advanced power management - the system that slowed down older iPhones with degraded batteries to prevent shutdowns - Apple is including a new Battery Health feature in iOS 11.3. Currently in beta, the feature is built into Settings > Battery, and provides information on current maximum capacity and peak performance capability.

It will also inform you if your iPhone is being slowed down, whether it needs service, and even allows you to turn off advanced power management - now called performance management - if you so choose.

Why is this battery feature in beta?

Apple is presumably still working out the kinks and messaging for batteries at various levels. We should see it come out of beta as the company is able to run it on more devices.

Okay, so what is performance management?

If your iPhone SE, iPhone 6, iPhone 6s, or iPhone 7 had previously been slowed down to prevent power surges and unexpected shutdowns, iOS 11.3 will restore it to its previous, unmanaged performance levels. The system's performance management will only restart if you experience an unexpected shutdown; until then, it's a clean slate.

What's more, from Apple:

iOS 11.3 improves this performance management feature by periodically assessing the level of performance management necessary to avoid unexpected shutdowns. If the battery health is able to support the observed peak power requirements, the amount of performance management will be lowered. If an unexpected shutdown occurs again, then performance management will increase. This assessment is ongoing, allowing more adaptive performance management.

What is my battery's maximum capacity, anyway?

Here's how Apple defines maximum (battery) capacity:

Maximum battery capacity measures the device battery capacity relative to when it was new. Batteries will start at 100% when first activated and will have lower capacity as the battery chemically ages which may result in fewer hours of usage between charges.

A normal battery is designed to retain up to 80% of its original capacity at 500 complete charge cycles when operating under normal conditions. The one-year warranty includes service coverage for a defective battery. If it is out of warranty, Apple offers battery service for a charge

How does Apple define "peak performance capability"?

Peak performance capability is the ability of your iPhone's battery to supply adequate charge even in the face of highly demanding tasks, up to and including those that cause power spikes.

Apple shows the following messages in Battery Health, depending on your iPhone's capability to handle apps at peak performance:

100%: Your battery is currently supporting normal peak performance.

95%: This iPhone has experienced an unexpected shutdown because the battery was unable to deliver the necessary peak power. Performance management has been applied to help prevent this from happening again. Disable...

79% or less: Your battery's health is significantly degraded. An Apple Authorized Service Provider can replace the battery to restore full performance and capacity. More about service options...

Unknown: This iPhone is unable to determine battery health. An Apple Authorized Service Provider can service the battery. More about service options...

If you disable performance management, you'll see the following message:

This iPhone has experienced an unexpected shutdown because the battery was unable to deliver the necessary peak power. You have manually disabled performance management protections.

Can you completely disable performance management if you don't want your iPhone's power throttled?

Yes and no. Performance management has never been completely about batteries: Every processor is throttled to protect against heat, for example. That kind of performance management can't be disabled - it would literally allow your iPhone to fry.

That said, you can disable all battery-related performance management (the feature Apple introduced with iOS 10.3.1 to slow down older iPhone models).

If you disable performance management for battery health, will it stay disabled?

It stays disabled unless and until you suffer an unexpected shutdown due to a power spike your battery can't handle. You can disable it again after that, but it will automatically re-enable every time you experience that kind of shutdown.

Is it dangerous to disable performance management?

Not to yourself or your home: The battery is stable and doesn't pose any unusual safety risks. (It won't explode or catch on fire.)

But if your iPhone shuts down when you really need it - placing an urgent call, sending an urgent message, or looking up critical information or directions - it could prove highly inconvenient.

Does Apple's performance management feature affect either the iPhone 8 or iPhone X line?

Not according to Apple:

iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X models use a more advanced hardware and software design that provides a more accurate estimation of both power needs and the battery's power capability to maximize overall system performance. This allows a different performance management system that more precisely allows iOS to anticipate and avoid an unexpected shutdown. As a result, the impacts of performance management may be less noticeable on iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X. Over time, the rechargeable batteries in all iPhone models will diminish in their capacity and peak performance and will eventually need to be replaced.

What about iPads?

iPad batteries are so large that, apparently, power spikes can't cause shutdowns even when they are well past their primes.

Any iOS 11.3 battery health questions?

Let us know in the comments.

We may earn a commission for purchases using our links. Learn more.

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In the wake of negative reaction to iPhone advanced power management - the system that slowed down older iPhones with degraded batteries to prevent shutdowns - Apple is including a new Battery Health feature in iOS 11.3. Currently in beta, the feature is built into Settings > Battery, and provides information on current maximum capacity and peak performance capability.

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Apple prometió que permitiría al usuario conocer el estado actual de desgaste de su batería

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Después del escandaloso #BatteryGate, Apple prometió que en su próxima actualización, permitiría al usuario además de conocer el estado actual de desgaste de su batería, y realizar una gestión de ésta.
https://t.co/ng9geHCnsy

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Después del escandaloso #BatteryGate, Apple prometió que en su próxima actualización, permitiría al usuario además de conocer el estado actual de desgaste de su batería, y realizar una gestión de ésta.
https://t.co/ng9geHCnsy

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Después del escandaloso #BatteryGate, Apple prometió que en su próxima actualización, permitiría al usuario además de conocer el estado actual de desgaste de su batería, y realizar una gestión de ésta.https://t.co/ng9geHCnsy
— tepbaes (@tepbaes) February 7, 2018

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Después del escandaloso #BatteryGate, Apple prometió que en su próxima actualización, permitiría al usuario además de conocer el estado actual de desgaste de su batería, y realizar una gestión de ésta.
https://t.co/ng9geHCnsy

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Después del escandaloso #BatteryGate, Apple prometió que en su próxima actualización, permitiría al usuario además de conocer el estado actual de desgaste de su batería, y realizar una gestión de ésta.
https://t.co/ng9geHCnsy

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Después del escandaloso #BatteryGate, Apple prometió que en su próxima actualización, permitiría al usuario además de conocer el estado actual de desgaste de su batería, y realizar una gestión de ésta.
https://t.co/ng9geHCnsy

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In December 2017, after more than a year of reliability issues and speculation, Apple confirmed that they were intentionally slowing iPhone performance in an attempt to prevent phone-crashing power spikes. Essentially, they were applying a software band-aid on a hardware issue.

We called the conflict Batterygate.

Fast forward to summer 2018. We've already answered your most pressing questions about replacing the battery in your iPhone yourself, but if you're still a bit lost about how this whole fiasco came to be, here's a full primer to bring you up to date:

2016

This is when the drama first started. Reports of older iPhones trickled in, citing reliability and usability problems such as sudden shutdowns. In November, Apple announced that this was an issue affecting only a "very small number" of iPhone 6s devices. Whether this was a little white lie or Apple's ignorance, their "very small" problem proved to be a more widespread issue than initially admitted.

January 2017

Apple attempted to resolve the problem-secretly-via iOS update 10.2.1, which made changes to power delivery on all devices newer than the iPhone 6. This feature was obfuscated by a myriad of fixes for security and design bugs that were introduced by iOS 10.2 (released just 42 days prior). Apple remained tight-lipped about the full intent behind the update, but, inevitably, the internet jumped on Apple's case: Tech journalists and Redditors alike speculated that the update was an attempt to prevent battery shutdowns.

Consequently, this throttling did fix most unexpected shutdowns, but at the hidden cost of reduced performance. Consumers were essentially led to believe that the update, and any resulting performance issues, were the sole solution for their ailing phones. They weren't told that the fix was actually limiting battery overexertion, which reduced phone-crashing power spikes, until...

December 2017 (Almost a year later)

A Reddit post breaking down the aging process of Li-ion batteries, followed by research into the CPU of affected iPhones, found that the throttling was, in fact, a battery issue. Replacing the battery in a throttled phone resulted in increased performance, conclusively shining light on Apple's throttling shenanigans. The phones weren't the problem-old batteries were. Public outcry and lawsuits ensued. Finally, Apple publicly admitted to CPU throttling for aging batteries.

January 2018

As a way to save face, Apple offered discounted battery replacements for iPhones 6 and newer for the duration of 2018. But there are barely more than 500 Apple stores worldwide, leaving many outside a reasonable coverage area. And for those lucky enough to live near an Apple Store or an Apple Authorized Service Provider, the lines kept getting longer. iFixit offered a lifeline to those underserved folk-we matched Apple's pricing, and extended the deal to cover the phones Apple didn't, such as the 4S, 5, 5s, and 5c.

March 2018

Apple released iOS update 11.3, which provided some much-needed transparency around battery health. And, the legal meetings began for Apple's 59+ class-action lawsuits that resulted from the scandal.

May 2018

In another attempt to mitigate damage (to their reputation), Apple issued a $50 credit to customers who had paid for an out-of-warranty battery replacement for an iPhone 6 or older device in 2017.

August 2018

Apple asked federal judges to dismiss the lawsuits against them regarding this case. Perhaps misleading consumers about device problems and obfuscating solutions is just normal, legal behavior for the first ever trillion-dollar company.

TLDR:

When iPhones with old batteries were not performing up to par- a natural phenomenon for consumables-Apple attempted to secretly slap a software patch on what is essentially a hardware issue. It failed and backfired, so now we're back to square one: a worn out battery that should be replaced, but is sealed into the phone. Apple shouldn't be acting surprised when a consumable is used up-it should be providing solutions for that eventuality. Solutions that don't include making appointments weeks in advance, or traveling hours to an Apple Store.

Life after Batterygate

If there was one positive that came out of Batterygate, it was an increased public awareness and support for Right to Repair legislation. That legislation would require device-makers like Apple to give consumers and independent repair shops access to OEM batteries, so that they can easily replace them when they get older. Of course, Apple is still actively leading the fight to make sure that doesn't happen-and we're leading the fight ( along with 18 states) to make sure it does.

For now, we'll be standing up to Apple by providing OEM-grade batteries, and free repair manuals, for all you fearsome fixers out there.

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Batterygate: A Complete History of Apple Throttling iPhones

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In December 2017, after more than a year of reliability issues and speculation, Apple confirmed that they were intentionally slowing iPhone performance in an attempt to prevent phone-crashing power spikes. Essentially, they were applying a software band-aid on a hardware issue. We called the conflict Batterygate. Fast forward to summer 2018.

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Francia multó a @Apple con 25 millones de euros por el #Batterygate.

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Francia multó a @Apple con 25 millones de euros por el #Batterygate.

El gobierno francés considera que al limitar el rendimiento de sus dispositivos a medida que la batería se degrada y no informarlo al usuario, Apple causaba la obsolescencia prematura de los mismos. (Hilo) https://t.co/oCcptP1fuw

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Francia multó a @Apple con 25 millones de euros por el #Batterygate.

El gobierno francés considera que al limitar el rendimiento de sus dispositivos a medida que la batería se degrada y no informarlo al usuario, Apple causaba la obsolescencia prematura de los mismos. (Hilo) https://t.co/oCcptP1fuw

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Francia multó a @Apple con 25 millones de euros por el #Batterygate.

El gobierno francés considera que al limitar el rendimiento de sus dispositivos a medida que la batería se degrada y no informarlo al usuario, Apple causaba la obsolescencia prematura de los mismos. (Hilo) pic.twitter.com/oCcptP1fuw
— Franco Guerzoni (@FrancoGuerzoni) February 9, 2020

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Francia multó a @Apple con 25 millones de euros por el #Batterygate.

El gobierno francés considera que al limitar el rendimiento de sus dispositivos a medida que la batería se degrada y no informarlo al usuario, Apple causaba la obsolescencia prematura de los mismos. (Hilo) https://t.co/oCcptP1fuw

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Francia multó a @Apple con 25 millones de euros por el #Batterygate.

El gobierno francés considera que al limitar el rendimiento de sus dispositivos a medida que la batería se degrada y no informarlo al usuario, Apple causaba la obsolescencia prematura de los mismos. (Hilo) https://t.co/oCcptP1fuw

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Francia multó a @Apple con 25 millones de euros por el #Batterygate.

El gobierno francés considera que al limitar el rendimiento de sus dispositivos a medida que la batería se degrada y no informarlo al usuario, Apple causaba la obsolescencia prematura de los mismos. (Hilo) https://t.co/oCcptP1fuw