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Apple Charging 20% More to Replace Batteries in iPhone 16 Pro Models
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Adjusting for inflation, today's $69 to $119 prices are still fairly inline with early iPhone battery replacement prices. Prices have been up and down since they first started offering the service. The cost of an iPhone 3GS 1219 mAh battery replacement was $79 (around $110 in today's dollars) and then prices significantly but temporarily dropped in 2018 in response to customer backlash related to the Apple intentional throttling controversy. Prices have since climbed back up again.
Gotta love when people on the internet pull numbers out of their butt and plug them into equations also out of their butt, and think that’s some kind of evidence.
Wait wait wait everyone, I'm usually the first to jump on the I can't believe apple is charging so much for this train, BUT in this case I'm confused. Why raise the price on the Pro battery replacements but NOT the regular 16s? I mean if you're going to do it and take the PR hit, take it all the way and then you can say inflation, lithium blah blah blah. EU. all at once. But only increasing the price for the pros sounds like there may be more to this story?? Maybe we should dig into it a little and see if we find out why? I'm hoping there's a good reason. Apple is no longer in the dominant position they were once in and they need to start playing ball.
Also, even at $120 it's still cheaper than a new phone and it will be cheaper at 3rd party. So for those of you who don't care about new phones don't let this dissuade you from battery replacement. As for me, I'm a sucker. I complain about apple all the way to the store to pickup my new product, I'm weak, but I'm getting stronger. I stopped buying both apple products and Samsung products and now just get apple...progress??
Also, even at $120 it's still cheaper than a new phone and it will be cheaper at 3rd party. So for those of you who don't care about new phones don't let this dissuade you from battery replacement. As for me, I'm a sucker. I complain about apple all the way to the store to pickup my new product, I'm weak, but I'm getting stronger. I stopped buying both apple products and Samsung products and now just get apple...progress??
And also the unsustainable and fundamentally wrong demand of unlimited growth. Limited resources can only support limited growth. There is no way around it.
I agree with your note, but I gotta know where this person is that for $99 they don’t get a new $1500 device, but for $119, they do? That just sounds like a fictitious scenario with little merit.
I haven’t read yet that it’ll take less time, where did you read that?
What I did read is that the law says a “laymen” should be able to do it with inexpensive tools (but perhaps still specialized ones) in a home lab environment. But it could be that it takes people *longer* to enact the repair due to the compromise of hard to screw up procedures and inexpensive tools.
I think only repair shops can buy those directly from Apple and get the price lists internally. But I am sure they are leaked somewhere if you dig enough.
At least I didn't find much places to just buy an original online.
On eBay I found one seller who offers original new batteries up to 15 Pro Max for $56 + shipping costs. iFixit sells a non-original for only $1 less and with tools $5 more.
There are non-original new batteries for half the price including tools on eBay and others up to more than originals costs.
Very confusing.
Found this:
On the bottom a self service store is linked, where the battery + srew driver costs $99 for 15 Pro Max.
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The battery is made with 100 percent recycled cobalt and — in a first for iPhone — over 95 percent recycled lithium.
So maybe I should have said new process but regardless not the same battery design.
You can just use a slower charger. 🤷🏻♂️ I am not planning to replace all my chargers just for the iPhones.Oh that’s nice, batteries will degrade faster from 45w charging and it’ll cost 20% more to replace them
I don't think an iPhone technician doing replacement will really do a speedier job. They replace hundreds of batteries, and probably do it "eyes closed" already. I understand the easier replacement to mean for those who want to do DIY replacements. Maybe you need less specialized parts or tools to perform it.
I am not trying to defend the price hike on this, I just don't think their technicians are the one who benefit from the changes to the process.
I do agree, that it stinks a bit - longer iPhone upgrade cycles for people --> pricier batteries 😬
Apple claimed recently, that iPhone batteries can sustain many more cycles compared to previous generations (about double in fact). If this pans out in reality, it should decrease demand for battery replacements considerably. To keep service revenue constant, they would have to increase the price for the replacement.
What is a bit puzzling though, why did they not change the price for the non-pro iPhone? Are they afraid that price conscious customers could turn to alternatives?
What is a bit puzzling though, why did they not change the price for the non-pro iPhone? Are they afraid that price conscious customers could turn to alternatives?
Don’t really care as I have never ever had to replace a single iPhone battery in my life as I only keep them for a couple of years and trade them in. If you are willing to pay $1,000 for a phone yet whinging about the cost of a genuine battery replacement then you should not buy the phone. AppleCare will also allow cheaper replacement options
that was my point - apple makes it so the parts are basically the same price as the repair. Only apple does this. And if you have the Gaul to use a third party battery, they pop up warnings that make you think your phone will explode.
Applause for Apple! Applause to the stellar CEO who knows how to steal more and more money from Apple customers. Great Tim!
Nobody right minded expects them to work for free.
What they dislike is being ripped off.
to the $51 you have to add:
The technicians salary for a 30 (?) minute repair
The cost of the technicians benefits which could include:
- Life and supplemental life insurance
- Disability insurance
- Occupational accident insurance
- Retiree health and medical
- vacation and time off
- parental leave
- shuttle service for commuting
- $300 a month gym credit
- stock purchase plan
- apple university & training costs
- tuition costs to $5250
- 401K 50% match up to 6% of their salary
- product discounts
- subsidized meals
Cost of store or repair center rent/electricity etc.
Cost of provding the necessary tools to do the repair
For a repair that that is this inexpensive their profit margin, if any, is likely fairly small
Google says the average Apple Store technician salary is $30/hr. If you value their benefits at 50% of their salary, that makes a half hour repair cost $22.50 in labor. Round that to $25 to cover any additional costs.
You are at $76 for a $100 repair. And that $51 battery cost is retail so Apple's cost will be lower.
Is that as nice a margin as selling a silicone case that maybe costs $2 to make for $50? No, but it is still solid.
IKR.. especially with their slim margins on profit!.. Heck.. we should tip apple employees when shopping at their stores as well.. because, well rent went up too!! /s
No they don’t. And also don’t forget US prices are quoted without tax and EU prices including tax.