Roger Fingas
Apple may offer rebates to people who bought a full-cost replacement iPhone battery to get around throttled performance, according to a newly-published response from the company.
One of the questions submitted in January by Sen. John Thune — chairman of the U.S. Senate Commerce Committee — was whether Apple was exploring the possibility of rebates, Recode said. Apple's response was released on Tuesday.
"Yes, we are exploring this and will update you accordingly," wrote Cynthia Hogan, Apple's VP for public policy in the Americas.
AppleInsider can confirm that the current policy for AppleCare phone support is to cut prices to $29 for any battery installed since Dec. 1, but only for customers who specifically request this through phone support.
In late December Apple relented to public pressure after its admission that it was slowing down iPhones with weak batteries. The company has reduced out-of-warranty battery replacements from $79 to $29 through the end of 2018, and this spring iOS 11.3 will finally offer more control and data for power settings.
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Wesley Hilliard
AppleInsider Staff
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7 Comments
Interesting. I had my iPhone battery replaced. It supposedly was at 86% capacity (as reported by Coconut battery), but it seemed to run out quickly. I also had 400+ charge cycles on it. For $29, it was worth a try, especially because I'm planning to keep the phone for another 9 months at least.
Anyway, when it came time to pick up the phone, there was no charge. I don't know why, but it made me happy.
My battery life is definitely better now, too.
What exactly needs to be explored? It seems obvious to me. Apple have sufficient funds available and need to resolve ongoing PR issues. As Apple has discover this battery matter has unforeseen consequences. The stop gap response in refunds will just cause more disquiet.
Thank you for offering to replace my iP6s+ battery for $29. I will take you up on this when the backlog clears up.