iPhone SE (2022) Apple refused to replace battery

[TokyoKiller]

Before there were Apple retail stores, I did work for Apple through a contractor at Sears/CompUSA stores supporting iMacs, primarily restoring scrambled machines on a weekly basis.

When Apple opened its own retail stores, I applied to be a genius. Though I was COMPTIA A+ certified and had completed coursework toward a CCNA, I was not hired. At that time—before DEI was codified—I was openly told that Apple wanted a diverse genius workforce, so the company preferred to hire people with liberal arts degrees (and green hair and a nose ring) and send them to Cupertino for training.

You reap what you sow.

They hire based on personality not technical expertise. You can teach the technical stuff but you can’t teach people how to people.

 

[waquzy]

Where is the OP?

 

[msackey]

I agree with you and am in a similar situation. My 13 Pro has been showing at 82% for a long time now and I'm thinking of getting the battery replaced. Why not right? I mean, if 100% new battery is suposedly 22 hours (per Apple website), that means I'm down to only 18 hours currently at max charge.

4 hours would be a reasonable boost to the 13 Pro, right? I mean, the brand new 16 Pro states 27 hours...new to new batteries compared, doesn't Apple make a big deal touting the extra 5 hours of battery life?

For everyday use, I'd be ok with 82%, but as soon as I'm travelling (like for vacation or going off-site for work) that 82% is not enough and I would want to get a new battery.

 

[dmk1974]

For everyday use, I'd be ok with 82%, but as soon as I'm travelling (like for vacation or going off-site for work) that 82% is not enough and I would want to get a new battery.

Agreed. When traveling for work or even golfing (I use an app which has GPS tracking active for 4+ hours) my battery drains more than a "typical" day. Every bit of juice helps. Mainly part of the decision is to keep this 13 Pro for a couple more years (in which case $89 for a fresh battery is well worth it to me) or upgrade to the 16 Pro (newer and better, but close to $700 net upgrade cost).

 

[macdaddy43]

I agree with you and am in a similar situation. My 13 Pro has been showing at 82% for a long time now and I'm thinking of getting the battery replaced. Why not right? I mean, if 100% new battery is suposedly 22 hours (per Apple website), that means I'm down to only 18 hours currently at max charge.

4 hours would be a reasonable boost to the 13 Pro, right? I mean, the brand new 16 Pro states 27 hours...new to new batteries compared, doesn't Apple make a big deal touting the extra 5 hours of battery life?

Definitely agree with you there. My thought process is, why not spend the $89 or whatever it costs to bring your phone back to factory battery life. If it is still not giving you what you need maybe look into newer tech but at this point my phone does more than I need it to so why not keep it and save money.

Most people I have spoken to that have gotten the iPhone 16 say the biggest difference they have noticed so far is the better battery life. While I absolutely believe there has been strong improvement here, would you have noticed the battery swing as much if you just replaced the battery in your old phone and then got the new one? Of course battery is going to be miles better when your old phone battery health was in the low 80’s compared to a new phone with 100% battery health. Just my two cents

 

[AlanMarron]

They hire based on personality not technical expertise. You can teach the technical stuff but you can’t teach people how to people.

False dichotomy.

 

[msackey]

Mainly part of the decision is to keep this 13 Pro for a couple more years (in which case $89 for a fresh battery is well worth it to me) or upgrade to the 16 Pro (newer and better, but close to $700 net upgrade cost).

Yup! Same reason I got a new battery. I plan to keep my iPhone 12 Pro for a while and the new battery was worth it. I got the battery just about a year ago and now it's already at 93% health. Battery life and battery health is one of my more frequent complaints about iPhones.

 

[orbital~debris]

I only started noticing a turn once Angela Ahrendts was hired. She started focusing more on sales and instituted sales metrics. Training of the geniuses began focusing more on selling people stuff over training them on Apple's products and services. Before that, I didn't have any issues.

My first visit to an Apple store was before Ahrendts. I was there to see if they had any spare screws for a 17" PowerBook G4. This would have been early 2010 and my Mac was obsolete then. The genius that helped me was able to provide a couple of the screws I needed but couldn't provide all of them. He had helpful suggestions though and he spent some time with me.

That was the attitude I expected going forward - until Ahrendts happened.

O/T but I'm not necessarily inclined to agree with your overall opinion on Ahrendts, as there are other elements she introduced which, on balance, seem to have helped Apple prevail. But if the sales focus over product knowledge was instigated by her, that is disappointing.

Apple Stores do have a different vibe these days (even if averaging out the atypically 'bad' stores), but I'm never sure whether that's because Apple as a whole has a different vibe due to being a much larger company, or whether it's a result of shifting policies and tactics.

I'm hoping the story from the OP is an aberration.

One thing's for sure, I'm glad Apple quickly ejected John Browett. Hiring him was an obvious mistake, and frankly inexplicable given his background. If he was still there, I think we'd have a truly hard-sell on services, insurance etc. and no free help at all.

 

[timborama]

I think a lot is missing here. They very likely offered the OP a replacement phone instead of a battery swap due to the safety of employees touching a swollen battery…but the OP didn’t like that option 🤨

Not sure how to arrived at that assumption, seems like a bit of a leap. LOL

 

[Fred Zed]

Don't fall for it guys, this is another "post and run" situation

A newbie posts something terrible about. Apple, without any evidence to show for it, and after 2 posts never answers again.
You know it aint true

Probably from the the very large team Samsung employs for just this purpose.

 

[DCIFRTHS]

View attachment 2430421 View attachment 2430420

I found this on a shelf about a month ago. I think I was very lucky that the battery seal held.

🔥 A bit of a reminder to all who keep old devices around - please check them for any signs of a deteriorating battery!

 

[monstermash]

They hire based on personality not technical expertise. You can teach the technical stuff but you can’t teach people how to people.

Which is good. I'd rather deal with pleasant idiot than a jerky expert.

The idiot can always ask someone who knows, like one of the jerks in the back who knows everything but isn't allowed to talk to customers.

Bonus points if the person you talk to is a flirtatious hottie.

 

[TheColtr]

The only time I’ve ever seen a store decline a battery replacement is if it’s swollen. But if that’s the case they replace the device at the cost of a battery replacement. I’ve never heard of denying service flat out.

 

[ThailandToo]

I thought they were joking at first but obviously not. I have made a complaint so we will see what the outcome is but if this is what they are like towards their customers I think it's not on at all.

I've always replaced batteries myself but apple makes that hard these days as the device has extended Apple Care Paid for I'm not willing to do it.

Regards

Bottom line is they want to sell you a new iPhone. That’s there business model. Make devices obsolete with software and denial of service. Go to a retail repair shop - not Apple, and get it replaced. You can speak to a manager but sometimes they’re clueless also and they just want to sell you a new iPhone.

 

[Hotpinkflamingoaz]

I suggest the Scottsdale Quarter location. Always have excellent interactions there.. Never been to the Fashion Square location or Glendale store.

I’ve been going to Chandler since they’ve opened and always had good luck. I just went in to have my battery changed in June and apparently it sparked as they attempted. It had to be thrown in a fire safe and I got a new phone.

 

[mattoruu]

I’m reasonably-sure there was some sort of misunderstanding. If this was Apple-wide policy, there would be more stories about this happening. You certainly are not the only person to want a battery replaced with 57% or lower battery health. I never got as low as 57%, but I think my battery was in the high-60% when I got some service many, many years ago.

We aren’t exactly a quiet bunch of people (Apple users). We would have loudly said something by now if this was a policy. We would have loudly said something if the “W” on our keyboards was ever-so-slightly off center, lol.

And not just Apple users. Many ‘Right to Repair’ activists would have loudly said something by now as well.

I suppose it could be a new policy change. And I suppose someone has to be the first person affected by a new policy change. However, it’s unlikely that any one of us will be the first.

I would try again. Try again to get some service. Try again at the same Apple Store or try again with online customer service.

 

[waquzy]

Looks like the OP has gone awol. Let’s just hope the battery didn’t explode on him, god forbid.

 

[Capeto]

Before there were Apple retail stores, I did work for Apple through a contractor at Sears/CompUSA stores supporting iMacs, primarily restoring scrambled machines on a weekly basis.

When Apple opened its own retail stores, I applied to be a genius. Though I was COMPTIA A+ certified and had completed coursework toward a CCNA, I was not hired. At that time—before DEI was codified—I was openly told that Apple wanted a diverse genius workforce, so the company preferred to hire people with liberal arts degrees (and green hair and a nose ring) and send them to Cupertino for training.

You reap what you sow.

Sounds like Apple dodged a bullet!

 

[canadianpj]

It’s uninformed comments like these that make people scared of batteries for no good reason. Reminds me of those who put wet phones in rice.

It's inaccurate comments like this which make people not urgently do something about a battery with that kind of health at that percentage in such a short time.

 

[canadianpj]

Then why not inform the user on device? "Battery service is recommended when battery health drops below 80%. If it drops below 60% it can no longer be serviced."

it should and Apple should have done something about it.

I'm also skeptical that this is even real. That's a dramatic decrease in 2 years. It's not a trivial thing.

 

[raykv23]

Classic Apple Yeah I’ll look elsewhere if I were you

 

[mattoruu]

it should and Apple should have done something about it.

I'm also skeptical that this is even real. That's a dramatic decrease in 2 years. It's not a trivial thing.

The battery health getting very low is something that I’ve personally experienced (many iPhones generations ago). And I was in disbelief about it as well (about what my own iPhone as telling me). How the heck did this happen!?!? Why is my battery healthy so darn low!?!?

It could be an inaccurate battery health estimate. Or it could be a battery that wasn’t manufactured well. Or it could be a recently damaged battery. Or it could be any number of things.

 

[amccallum1]

What does Apple charge for a replacement battery? My iPhone 8 Plus needs one soon - behaving eccentrically.

 

[The Game 161]

lol no way would a battery drop to 57% that quick

 

[BugeyeSTI]

What does Apple charge for a replacement battery? My iPhone 8 Plus needs one soon - behaving eccentrically.

Depends on country but around $69+tax U.S. and it takes about an hour to replace