Out of warranty battery replacement at higher than 80%?

[asus389]

What is Apple’s policy on replacing batteries out of warranty before they show an alert in the menu bar? I was told by AppleCare over the phone (twice) that if I’m paying out of pocket they will replace a degraded battery even if it’s not down to 80% yet and showing the warning. Mine is at 84% but the battery life is 1/2 of when it was new.

Based on this, I went to the Apple store to pay out of pocket for replacement but the Genius Bar refused. They said that they won’t replace a battery until MacOS gives them an alert. I know this is the case for warranty replacement, but this isn't under warranty. I seem to remember them doing this before on a different laptop of mine a few years ago, but this time they wouldn't. Did the policy recently change?

 

[nigelbb]

If you want to pay full price for the battery they will take your money even if battery is at 100%. However if you want a discounted £/$199 battery they will only do that when it shows a warning & less than 80%.

 

[PaladinGuy]

From my experience, they will usually not replace the battery at any cost if it’s at 80% or higher on battery health.

 

[Audit13]

I'm in Toronto, Canada and the three nearest Apple stores refused a battery replacement in my watch, MacBook Pro, and iPhone if the battery health was higher than 80% unless their diagnostic tools indicate a replacement was needed.

 

[PotentPeas]

Huh. Haven't tried the MacBook, but in the last year I have replaced an iPhone battery that was still showing higher than 80% (out of pocket) at the Apple Store. They really tried to talk me out of it, but they did do it.

 

[Audit13]

Huh. Haven't tried the MacBook, but in the last year I have replaced an iPhone battery that was still showing higher than 80% (out of pocket) at the Apple Store. They really tried to talk me out of it, but they did do it.

I think one big reason Apple doesn't usually budge from the 80% rule for the battery is that the battery change includes the entire top case and keyboard.

 

[nigelbb]

From my experience, they will usually not replace the battery at any cost if it’s at 80% or higher on battery health.

A couple of years ago I took my 2015 15" MBP into the AppleStore in Cambridge here in the UK they would not change my battery for the discounted price of £199 because it was 81% but they offered to replace with a new battery/keboard/topcase for over £1,000 which I declined. I took the MBP back a few months later when the battery was reporting as requiring service & they replaced the battery/keboard/topcase for £199.

 

[posguy99]

I'm in Toronto, Canada and the three nearest Apple stores refused a battery replacement in my watch, MacBook Pro, and iPhone if the battery health was higher than 80% unless their diagnostic tools indicate a replacement was needed.

I paid Apple the $99 to replace the battery in my iP14Pro when the battery was at 85%. Had it done two days before my AC+ expired the second week of September so that if they ganked the phone, I'd get a replacement . I'll be keeping this phone for at least another year minimum (two years into the three year plan from VZW) so it was a worthwhile thing to do.

Only thing the tech said to me was "you're above 80%, you will have to pay for this replacement." I agreed, and it was done.

 

[JPack]

MacBook and iPad = Will decline to replace battery if above 80% because the work required is too much. Often involves sending it out to a depot.

iPhone = Will replace at any percentage. Process is quick and low risk, can be done in store.