Need a replacement battery for your iPhone or iPad? Better do it before March 1st!
Apple's support page titled "iPhone Battery Service" (via 9to5Mac) contains some bad news hidden in the fine print. On the page Apple writes, "Effective March 1, 2023, the out-of-warranty battery service fee will be increased by $20 for all iPhone models prior to iPhone 14." So the estimated $69 price to replace iPhone 13 models will be raised to $89. Replacing the batteries on the iPhone 14 series already costs $99 and this price will not be changed.
Apple iPhone Battery Replacement Estimates
| iPhone Series | Battery Replacement Estimate before March 1st, 2023 | Battery Replacement Estimate starting March 1st, 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| iPhone 14 Series | $99 | $99 |
| iPhone 13 Series | $69 | $89 |
| iPhone 12 Series | $69 | $89 |
| iPhone 11 Series | $69 | $89 |
| iPhone X Series | $69 | $89 |
| iPhone 8 Series | $49 | $69 |
| iPhone 7 Series | $49 | $69 |
| iPhone 6/6s Series | $49 | $69 |
| iPhone 5 Series | $49 | $69 |
If you are an AppleCare+ member, you pay absolutely nothing for a regular battery replacement for your iPhone. AppleCare+ provides unlimited protection from accidental damage. AppleCare+ with Theft and Loss will protect you from up to two incidents involving the loss and theft of your handset. The deductible is $149 for loss and theft. Standard AppleCare+ is $199 for two years of coverage, or you can pay 24 monthly payments of $9.99. AppleCare+ with theft and loss coverage is $269 for two years of coverage or 24 monthly payments of $13.49.
There is a controversial issue related to battery replacements for iPhone models
Now there is a controversial issue related to getting a battery replacement. Follow closely what Apple says in this passage: "We’ll inspect your product when we receive it and confirm the service charges. 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."
In other words, even a tiny crack or another issue could raise the price of your battery replacement to a figure that you never considered. Back in 2018, when Apple was replacing batteries at a huge discount because of "batterygate," this controversy was big news. Apple had issued an iOS update that throttled the performance of certain iPhone models with older batteries. These older batteries couldn't power the phone to handle certain tasks leading the device to shut down.
Apple apologized and offered to perform a battery replacement for $29 on certain models for what was, at the time, a 63% discount. But certain iPhone users in the U.K. were sent notices that their $29 battery replacement was going to cost much more because Apple had to make expensive repairs on their iPhone before it could change the battery. One iPhone owner said that he would have to pay the equivalent of $271 to fix a small ding on his handset before Apple would replace the battery.
So when we saw the fine print on Apple's support page, naturally we thought about what happened years ago. If you have any type of nick or crack on the glass or the case of your iPhone, be prepared to shell out additional money if you want the battery replaced on your device.
Batterygate also led Apple to develop the Battery Health meter that measures the current capacity of the battery compared to the 100% capacity that the battery has when the phone is first purchased. To check out the current health of your iPhone battery, go to Settings > Battery and tap on Battery Health & Charging.
Apple will also increase the price of iPad battery replacements by $20. This price hike affects the following iPad models:
iPad Pro 12.9-inch (5th generation and prior, current model is the 6th generation released in 2022)
iPad Pro 11-inch (3rd generation and prior, current model is the 4th generation released in 2022)
iPad Pro 10.5-inch
iPad Pro 9.7-inch
iPad mini (all models)
iPad Air (all models)
iPad Pro 11-inch (3rd generation and prior, current model is the 4th generation released in 2022)
iPad Pro 10.5-inch
iPad Pro 9.7-inch
iPad mini (all models)
iPad Air (all models)
Pricing for iPad battery replacements has many more price points than for the iPhone. For example, the 6th generation iPad Pro costs $179 for a new battery. Changing the battery on the fifth generation iPad Pro will cost you $99 now, $119 starting on March 1st. The fourth-generation 11-inch iPad Pro costs $149 at the moment to change your battery, that price goes up to $169 starting March 1st.
How to get the estimated cost for an iPad battery replacement
To check how much it currently costs to replace the battery on your iPad, click on this link and scroll down to the box on the page that will give you an estimate. Add $20 to the cost (excluding 2022 iPad models) to figure out what the price will be starting on March 1st.
Apple is also raising the price to replace some iPad batteries by $20
The bottom line? Regardless of whether you need to change the battery on an iPhone 13 series or a fifth-generation iPad Pro (or both), do it before March 1st. Procrastinating is going to cost you an additional $20.
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