iPhone batteries can be replaced, but they are quite complicated. It is better to have an expert do this, especially if the price is reasonable.
Stephen Beacham / CNET
Me iPhone X has just celebrated his third birthday, which is important for a few reasons. First, it’s the longest I’ve ever held on one phone; usually I upgrade every year or two. Second, like any three-year-old model, the battery is no longer what it used to be.
So I thought of a new phone, an extremely common reaction to the bad battery life. Check out the results of a Twitter poll I did recently:
Quick poll: What is the biggest single reason why you should buy a new phone at the moment? (I do not include an “all of the above” option … curious to know your one general manager.)
– The Cheapskate (@cheapskateblog) 29 January 2021
The thing is, I really like my iPhone X. It’s very fast and fits perfectly in my pocket. It takes excellent photos, including portraits. It does not support 5G, but what then? I do not need it, at least now.
Best of all, it pays off. So do I really need to buy a brand new phone just to get a new battery? It’s not like I can pin the back of the X and swap the guy. Not easy anyway – I tried this delicate operation a few times with previous generation iPhones and was never successful.
Read more: Is it worth replacing your iPhone battery? Here is what to consider
Fortunately, Apple offers in-store battery replacement services. And most local phone repair shops will do the same. Because I’m the Cheapskate, of course I went to look around first. Apple would obviously be the most expensive option (because it’s Apple!), Which is why I ask for three prices in the nearby stores. To my surprise, the rates ranged from $ 89 to $ 129 – on the high side, I thought, but still much cheaper than buying a new phone.
Then I looked at Apple, and surprised, surprised: $ 69. (Prices vary by age and model. Apple only charges $ 49 for the iPhone SE, iPhone 8 and most earlier models.)
The other win: I feel a little more comfortable with Apple doing the job. A few years ago, I rented a local store to replace my daughter’s phone battery; it comes back with a broken camera on the front. About the same time, my sister used another store for a replacement battery; a few months later the phone started to fall apart due to faulty glue.
It is not a charge sheet of telephone repair companies, just a little anecdotal experience. And the better prices that are properly available at Apple have at least made it a choice for me.
Read more: Does a fast charge affect battery life? 6 telephone battery questions, answered
My appointment with Apple
Using Apple’s online scheduling tool, I can quickly and easily make an appointment at my local Apple Store. I could actually get an appointment on the same day on a weekday. (Of course, your mileage can vary as with this whole experience.)
When I arrive at this previously operating store, I discover that there are two queues outside: one for online pickups, one for Genius Bar appointments. As a result of COVID, it is no longer a retail industry, as it has been merged into about eight windows.
A security guard checked me in, and although there were about four people in front of me in the queue, I only waited five minutes. After I got to the window, a friendly employee did some diagnoses on my phone, confirmed that it would benefit from a new battery and sent me on my way.
Read more: 6 easy ways to last as long as possible before replacing your phone
I was told the repairs would take about two hours; I would return at exactly the given time, and then I could skip the rope and go straight to a pickup window.
And that’s exactly how it went down. The whole deal was smooth and efficient, and $ 69 later, my iPhone X feels like it just came out of the box – at least from a battery perspective. Usually I will stay up to about 10% by 5pm. Yesterday I still had 55% – at 20:00
Will it buy me another three years? Quite possibly. Even if I only keep the phone for another year or two, I think it was the smart move.
So before you throw away your old phone due to an empty battery, I recommend that you research your battery replacement options.
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