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nigels0

macrumors member
Original poster
Feb 23, 2008
59
2
i booked an appointment to have my iPad Pro battery replaced as it is a couple of years old and i’m down to about 6 hours (where I used to get about 11). Travelled an hour to the Apple store only to be told that they won’t change the battery as the battery charge was at 85%. If I wanted them to change it, I would have to pay full price for a new one!

Rather annoying as there is nothing on their site telling me this - that I could see, and wasting a couple of hours of my time for nothing.

Quite pissed off as I either have to buy a new one (which I really don’t need) or wait a few months for the battery to deplete - and I really don’t know when that will happen. Could be 6 months, could be 1 week - who knows.

Anyhow. Just pissed off with Apple support and their inflexible ‘policies’ I was happy to pay for the battery replacement as advertised on their site.
 

aakshey

macrumors 68030
Jun 13, 2016
2,932
1,385
Which Apple Store was this? How many cycles do you have on your iPad? How many years old is it%.
[doublepost=1527167989][/doublepost]By the way, if you’re getting 6 hrs with 85%, you’ll probably get 7-7.5 hrs with a new battery. You won’t get 11 hrs again.
 

0906742

Cancelled
Apr 11, 2018
2,313
613
By the way, if you’re getting 6 hrs with 85%, you’ll probably get 7-7.5 hrs with a new battery. You won’t get 11 hrs again.

I have a feeling that battery capacity percentage and running time don't go hand in hand. For example in my old iPad Air battery capacity was dropped after many years to around 94-95% but running time did drop hours and the same thing I have noticed with many devices. That's why I personally have no tolerance to battery wear on brand new gear or if it already occurs within first weeks or so.
 

muzzy996

macrumors 65816
Feb 16, 2018
1,120
1,068
...

Rather annoying as there is nothing on their site telling me this - that I could see, and wasting a couple of hours of my time for nothing.

Quite pissed off as I either have to buy a new one (which I really don’t need) or wait a few months for the battery to deplete - and I really don’t know when that will happen. Could be 6 months, could be 1 week - who knows.

Anyhow. Just pissed off with Apple support and their inflexible ‘policies’ I was happy to pay for the battery replacement as advertised on their site.

What percentage did they tell you that your iPad battery needs to be below before qualifying for replacement?

Their site does say that the batteries are designed for 80% at 1000 cycles.

https://www.apple.com/batteries/service-and-recycling/

Clicking the battery service link under iPads and scrolling down reveals similar info referring to an 80% cutoff. Just curious if the store is being consistent with the stated policy.
 

aakshey

macrumors 68030
Jun 13, 2016
2,932
1,385
I have a feeling that battery capacity percentage and running time don't go hand in hand. For example in my old iPad Air battery capacity was dropped after many years to around 94-95% but running time did drop hours and the same thing I have noticed with many devices. That's why I personally have no tolerance to battery wear on brand new gear or if it already occurs within first weeks or so.

That’s because you upgrade the running iOS.

You’ll have reduced hours even with a brand new device if it isn’t runn8ng the first iOS that generation of device shipped with.
 
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nigels0

macrumors member
Original poster
Feb 23, 2008
59
2
It was about 450 cycles and they said they’d only change it once it got below 80%. The iPad is about a couple of years old.

There doesn’t seem to be any mention of a policy whereby they would not change the battery unless it was below 80% I can find..
 

aakshey

macrumors 68030
Jun 13, 2016
2,932
1,385
You keep spreading this myth. This can’t be proven unanimously.

It can. Want a wager?

Go buy a new iPhone 6s Plus.

On iOS 9 it used to get 11-12 hours of battery life.

I challenge you to get more than 8 hours with a brand new piece on iOS 11.3.
 

ericwn

macrumors G5
Apr 24, 2016
12,121
10,912
That’s because you upgrade the running iOS.

You’ll have reduced hours even with a brand new device if it isn’t runn8ng the first iOS that generation of device shipped with.

The theory that any update reduces battery life is hard to prove, to say the least - and generalisations like this seem a bit too simplistic without more than a few anecdotes to back it up.
 
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ericwn

macrumors G5
Apr 24, 2016
12,121
10,912
It can. Want a wager?

Go buy a new iPhone 6s Plus.

On iOS 9 it used to get 11-12 hours of battery life.

I challenge you to get more than 8 hours with a brand new piece on iOS 11.3.

Can you please provide some relevant data for the device in question? Seems pointless to try to make a point for a tablet based on performance of a phone
 
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0906742

Cancelled
Apr 11, 2018
2,313
613
That’s because you upgrade the running iOS.
I have heard that excuse (too) many times before and I believe it as much I do believe in tooth fairy.
I have also witnessed this (battery capacity vs actual running time not going hand in hand) happening in other than IOS devices. That's why I simply won't tolerate fresh machines to have any battery wear. Sure they may last warranty period but after that your are f***ed.
 

akash.nu

macrumors G4
May 26, 2016
10,870
16,998
It can. Want a wager?

Go buy a new iPhone 6s Plus.

On iOS 9 it used to get 11-12 hours of battery life.

I challenge you to get more than 8 hours with a brand new piece on iOS 11.3.

I have actually used an iPhone 6 until last year and the battery life only seem to have degraded towards the end, which could possibly be down to battery wear throughout the last 3 years. You can’t just make blanket statements like that without any evidence.
 
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aakshey

macrumors 68030
Jun 13, 2016
2,932
1,385
Why don’t you try what I told you? I’ve tried the same with devices with 95%+ health and got the same results I’ve shared with you. Every single time. Across multiple devices.
[doublepost=1527182034][/doublepost]I’ve witnessed what I’ve shared with:

One iPhone 5s
2-3 iPhone SE
2 iPhone 7
4 iPad Pro 10.5
MBA 11 Early 2014

Even if health is nearly perfect, software upgrades ruin the battery.
 

akash.nu

macrumors G4
May 26, 2016
10,870
16,998
Why don’t you try what I told you? I’ve tried the same with devices with 95%+ health and got the same results I’ve shared with you. Every single time. Across multiple devices.

Yeah, I’m not really going to buy a new “old” device over a disagreement on an Internet forum. I’ve been using Apple products since over 15 years and categorically such claims can’t be proven.

If you can show me any official statistics then I’ll take your word for it. The burden of proof is always on the person who makes an outlandish claim, not the person who contests it.
 
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aakshey

macrumors 68030
Jun 13, 2016
2,932
1,385
It’s your problem if you don’t believe it.

Use whatever phone you have now. Swap for a fresh battery after 1-2 yrs. You won’t have the same battery even then.
 

0906742

Cancelled
Apr 11, 2018
2,313
613
I’ve tried the same with devices with 95%+ health and got the same results I’ve shared with you.
.
Even if health is nearly perfect, software upgrades ruin the battery.
I'd say that proves even more what I said - battery capacity does not go hand in hand with actual running times.
Even small percentage loss may cause huge difference.
 
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akash.nu

macrumors G4
May 26, 2016
10,870
16,998
It’s your problem if you don’t believe it.

Use whatever phone you have now. Swap for a fresh battery after 1-2 yrs. You won’t have the same battery even then.

I’ve actually tried this with my iPhone 6 and it went back to exactly how it was before. Seriously, I think it’s you, not the devices. Having said that, I’m not calling you a liar, but I’m saying this is not a norm, if that has really happened to you with all of those devices then that’s just really bad luck on your part.
 
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ActionableMango

macrumors G3
Sep 21, 2010
9,613
6,909
I honestly don't understand this policy. Refusing a service that the customer is willing to pay for means that Apple is (A) making a customer unhappy, and (B) turning away money.

I really wonder what the point is. Replacement battery shortage? Labor shortage? I have heard of Genius Bars with very long wait times and no available appointments.
 

akash.nu

macrumors G4
May 26, 2016
10,870
16,998
I honestly don't understand this policy. Refusing a service that the customer is willing to pay for means that Apple is (A) making a customer unhappy, and (B) turning away money.

I really wonder what the point is. Replacement battery shortage? Labor shortage? I have heard of Genius Bars with very long wait times and no available appointments.

Too much investment for minimal to no return.
 

kristalsoldier

macrumors 6502a
Aug 10, 2013
818
523
Which Apple Store was this? How many cycles do you have on your iPad? How many years old is it%.
[doublepost=1527167989][/doublepost]By the way, if you’re getting 6 hrs with 85%, you’ll probably get 7-7.5 hrs with a new battery. You won’t get 11 hrs again.
Why?
 

aakshey

macrumors 68030
Jun 13, 2016
2,932
1,385
Simple math. My iPad Pro was at 87% getting up to 7 hrs. Now I got a new one. Gets like 8 hrs.
 
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