Many have heard about the scandal that erupted at the end of last year and associated with the publication of data that Apple deliberately limits the speed of the iPhone while reducing battery capacity. This information was confirmed by the founder's article Geekbench John Poole, in which he conducted a detailed study of the problem.

A little later, the information was confirmed by other publications and developers who conducted iPhone performance tests with batteries of different capacities. So, for example, tests recorded a decrease in the operating frequency of the processor by 2.5 times on a device with a poor battery condition! This, of course, cannot but affect the overall speed of the device.

The published data not only generated a wave of indignation from many users, but also gave a lot of work for Apple's lawyers. Already, several hundred single and class claims have been filed against the company, and the French consumer fraud agency is even conducting its own investigation, which could result in a huge fine (up to 5% of Apple's annual revenue in the country).

What to do?

The only solution if the iPhone starts to work noticeably slower, given the absence of other hardware or software problems -.

There is also confirmation of this in the form of test indicators of devices before and after replacing the battery. So, for example, an iPhone 6 with a rather worn-out battery (capacity 1168 mAh, number of charge cycles 750) before replacement according to Geekbench tests gave the following indications of the processor frequency: Single-Core - 845 / Multi-Core - 1384. After replacement: Single-Core - 1587 / Multi-Core - 2696. The result is obvious!

It is worth noting that if the processor frequency during use is less than it should be, in order to return the previous performance indicators, the battery should only be replaced with an original spare part. Chinese copies of poor quality are unlikely to solve the problem, because. The iPhone's power management controller can still detect the battery as badly worn out.

How is Apple reacting?

“First of all, we would never, and never will, do anything that will intentionally shorten the life of any Apple product or detract from the user experience, thereby incentivizing customers to purchase new devices. Our goal has always been to create products that users love, and extending their lifespan to the maximum is a critical part of that goal...”

According to the company, the next iOS updates will have to carry over the iPhone's power management algorithms to reduce the dependence of the iPhone's performance on the level of wear and tear of its battery. iOS will also include built-in battery health monitoring so that users can monitor the health of their battery and make independent battery replacement decisions if iPhone battery life or performance becomes noticeably slower.

As a compensatory measure, from January to the end of December 2018, Apple is running a preferential maintenance program for iPhones that require battery replacement. For all device models, starting with the iPhone 6 and newer in all official representative offices of the company, including authorized service centers, the entire 2018 battery replacement will cost $29 instead of the regular cost of $79.

There is also a limitation - you can change the iPhone battery at this price only once. The company explains this by the fact that replacing the battery more often than once a year is not required for the company's devices.

Where can I change the iPhone battery?

If the iPhone is quickly discharged, turns off at 20, 30 or more percent of the charge; if there is a significant decrease in performance (in the absence of other hardware or software problems), then most likely you need battery replacement. You can do this at any of our service centers. We can offer a replacement battery with an original one directly at our service center, or we can provide you with a replacement battery under the Apple Preferential Service Program.

Apple launched a discounted battery replacement program for the iPhone 6 and newer models starting in January in response to the artificial slowdown of smartphones with worn-out batteries. Apple did not confirm the slowdown of older devices, but after a number of independent studies and extensive discussion, they were forced to admit this fact. As a result, several dozen class-action lawsuits have been opened against the company in the United States, criminal investigations have begun in a dozen countries, and it is not yet possible to say exactly what this will turn out to be for Apple. As an apology, the company offered battery replacements for any user of older devices who encountered this problem, and reduced the cost by more than a third. For example, in the US, the replacement price has dropped from $79 to $29 before taxes. For the user, this means that for minimal money you can refresh your device and extend its life by at least one and a half to two years without having to change it to a new one. Let's take a closer look at how this program works in the world and in Russia, what are the differences and what you should pay attention to.

Which models are participating in the program

Any iPhone starting from the sixth model falls under the battery replacement program, but previous devices do not participate in this program, for example, the iPhone 5s cannot be repaired in this way, the cost of replacing the battery on it remains the same (from five to six thousand rubles on average in Russia, US dollars).

Initially, it was assumed that only devices with a worn out battery would be replaced, for example, those where there was a slowdown and Apple could determine this. At the moment, they replace batteries in virtually any device, without making exceptions. Whether this approach will remain in the future is unknown, but there is already an influx of people who want to replace the battery, the flow of people to services in each country has grown many times, somewhere by an order of magnitude.

Another important point - if your phone is under warranty (regular or extended AppleCare), then you can and should return it under warranty, the battery will be replaced free of charge and in priority mode. For example, in Europe or the USA, such a replacement usually means getting a new device. The sign of a defective battery or incorrect operation is very simple, for example, the device is instantly discharged in the cold or does not hold a charge. Here it is only important to have time to contact the company at a time when your guarantee is still valid, so that they can diagnose it.

Countries with active Apple Stores

For the consumer, there are two general scenarios for how an iPhone repair can take place, they can be conditionally divided into countries where there are their own Apple stores, and all the rest. Consider a simple scenario, namely the countries with Apple stores and how it works in them.

In theory, you can come to the store and immediately contact a consultant to look at your device in front of you and evaluate the possibility of replacing the battery outside the warranty period. Usually, when applying on the same day, you are denied an appointment, since the consultants are busy, it is best to make an appointment in advance and indicate exactly what you want to do, in our case, change the battery. In Los Angeles, I went to the Apple store in The Grove, where I was accepted immediately, I was lucky. The consultant evaluates the device, evaluates its appearance, disables the Find iPhone function. My iPhone 6 has a worn out battery (over 1200 cycles in a couple of years) and Apple has reduced the processor clock speed on it, meaning it is guaranteed to be eligible.

I was put on the list and was told that the waiting time would be from 5-6 days, since there are no batteries available. You can wait a couple of weeks, since everything depends on the store and its traffic, at the moment there is a stream of people who want to upgrade their batteries.

They wrote out a paper in which they described the cost of repairs and warned that it was impossible to reuse a preferential battery replacement for this device. Since I did not have time to wait for the battery to be replaced, I took the phone with me, but a week later I still did not receive a call to the store, the battery did not arrive. Therefore, those who expect to be able to change the battery at the Apple Store during a short trip should not rely on it. Most likely, you simply do not have enough time. It is not possible to order a battery in advance, so consider other options.

Interestingly, Apple does not have batteries on the iPhone 6 Plus, so the company offers to replace the devices with the iPhone 6s Plus (new or refurbished, as you're lucky). In my opinion, this is an interesting offer that is worth taking advantage of, but there is a pitfall - your old device should not be repaired outside of Apple (for example, there is a non-original screen and battery), it should not be broken or badly beaten. And such a replacement occurs, despite the fact that your old device is already out of warranty.

You can read the story of replacing iPhone 6 Plus with 6s Plus.

In the event that the test program determines that your iPhone has non-original parts and / or is badly broken, you may be denied any repair, including battery replacement. As well as if you changed the original battery, you will most likely be denied a replacement program. But an Apple Store replacement is the easiest, most reliable, and guaranteed way to get a new iPhone battery for the least amount of money.

Russia and other countries without Apple Store

In Russia and other countries where Apple does not have its own stores and service centers, battery replacement looks a little different. The replacement program works, but it has pitfalls that you should be aware of onshore. Apple has authorized service centers that carry out repairs on behalf of the company, they are independent of Apple and do not belong to the company. In theory, each service center carries out repairs according to its own price list, based on its understanding of the market. Over the past years, the prices for iPhone services have been approximately the same in different companies, while they repelled each other and the cost of components (Apple does not supply most of the components to Russia, for example, so it was impossible to repair only the screen, you changed de - in fact the entire apparatus, now it is not). The average cost of replacing the battery ranged from 5 to 7 thousand rubles.

Even if you contact Apple Support in Russia, you will not be told the cost of replacing the battery under this program, as it differs from city to city, from service to service. The internal cost from Apple, which was set for such a repair, is 1,700 rubles, which is quite consistent with the American or European cost. In our realities, service centers add the cost of diagnostics here (five minutes of collecting information about the device, everything is automated, plus an external examination). Depending on the greed of the service center, the cost of this service ranges from 300 to 800 rubles. In total, it turns out that you will be charged from two to two and a half thousand rubles for replacing the battery. It makes no sense to download rights and demand a replacement for 1,700 rubles, since this cost is not indicated anywhere, but in the regions there are services that offer just such a price. One of the battery suppliers indicated that, on average, their price is from 450 to 550 rubles for a service center. Calculating how much the service receives for its work is not difficult.

The slippery issue remains what they put in Russian service centers as original batteries. These are not Apple-supplied batteries, but they are Apple-authorized batteries from a number of suppliers in China, which means there can be no problems with them, plus they are covered by a limited warranty (half a year, replacement only if the battery is completely dead, which is unlikely to happen ). Approximately the same batteries are installed by unofficial services, and depending on the city, the replacement cost will range from a thousand to two thousand rubles. For example, in Moscow, the price of replacing a battery will be 2,000 rubles with the departure of the master to your home and will take about twenty minutes at most.

In my opinion, for Russia there is practically no difference in where you put the battery. In the official and unofficial services, you will receive the same batteries, their service life will be the same. Another thing is that it is impossible to be sure of the quality of an unofficial service, as well as in the correct disassembly of the case, maintaining protection from water. However, the quality of authorized service centers leaves much to be desired.

Apple support gave me a list of services where you can replace the battery, tried to contact everyone and find out about the timing and cost of repairs. The first service I chose is MCLABS, they have a reception in the center of Moscow, as well as on Varshavskaya. The cost of repairs, which was announced by phone, is 2,500 rubles, including diagnostics. Repair time - from two weeks, there are no batteries available. We talked with the guy, and he said that he does not remember such an influx of people who want to change the battery, about thirty people a day, and this is only at one point with them, in other services the situation is about the same.

In some services, the phones were simply silent and did not answer, no one picked up the phone, in some the information was confirmed. In Powerline, on Nakhimovsky Prospekt, they offered to drive up, the cost of repairs is exactly the same, but the terms are shorter, they were not named exactly on the phone, but they said that it might take a few days at most, but without any guarantees on terms , as there is an influx of people who want to and they are sewn up.

A bored girl appeared on the phone in “Service Pro”, we managed to find out the following information from her:

• battery delivery times have grown significantly, demand has grown markedly, and people have gone in droves after the New Year holidays;
• there are enough batteries in stock for all devices, except for the iPhone 6/6s Plus, they are expected in 2 weeks;
• Delivery dates for iPhone 6 Plus batteries are no earlier than spring 2018, replacement is not possible at the moment.

I called a dozen services, and I got a clear picture that the average waiting time for repairs in Moscow is about two weeks or more, there is a large flow of people who want to carry out this repair. Where people answered the question of how the flow had changed compared to December, on average they said that it had increased by 5-10 times.

To change or not to change? Battery as a consumable

The battery is a consumable item and will lose capacity over time, so there is no doubt that it needs to be replaced. Two questions arise here - you can buy a new smartphone, or you can just change the battery in the old one, then it will work as long as a new one. And if your case is not broken, and the device is quite satisfied, then it is easier and cheaper to change the battery. Such an updated device is quite capable of working for at least one and a half to two years. And if we talk about the iPhone, then such a replacement makes sense, because when you bought your device, it was a flagship or a model of the middle segment. This is unprofitable for the manufacturer, since all this time you will use a conditionally old device, do not buy something new. But for you, this is a very good option, as you can save on buying a new device.

The iPhone scandal is of great importance for the market, since for the first time people went to service centers en masse in order to change batteries, this was not a common practice before. Apple set a low cost for such repairs, because earlier it was noticeably higher than that of competitors. For comparison, earlier the cost of replacing a battery at Apple was 5-7 thousand rubles, in most devices from Samsung this price was 3.5-4 thousand rubles in the official service, and the cost of the battery and the cost of work were distributed equally. It must be remembered that the price of batteries for Android manufacturers is higher, since they are larger in capacity, and noticeably more - hence the higher cost.

There is a possibility that other manufacturers will respond to Apple's actions and also reduce the cost of replacing batteries to the level of 2-2.5 thousand rubles, which can be considered a boon for all of us. But so far this has not happened. In any case, the fact that this topic has surfaced and received such a response due to the iPhone slowdown scandal is good. People will learn how to change batteries and extend the life of their devices. This is a boon for services that have gained new customers, and with the right approach, they can turn these customers into loyal ones.

I have a couple of iPhones with a dead battery ("six", as well as 7 Plus), I plan to replace the battery on one in Russia, on the second in Europe, and then just look at what batteries will be put in the case. But I have no doubts that today battery replacement is justified and gives a second life to these devices, prolongs their life cycle. Are you planning to do it? On what devices? Where - in official or illegal places? Share your experience, both positive and negative, suddenly you were refused a replacement due to a broken case or previous repair. In a word, share your impressions. And for those who have not yet matured to replace, I advise you to seriously think about it. It's worth it.

Our company is ready to offer everyone, without exception, high-quality services; among them, we are also replacing the iPhone 6s battery. As spare parts, only original parts are used, that is, removed from original devices of the same type and model. In the hands of professionals, the work is carried out quickly and easily (on average, we can change batteries on three mobile devices per hour), but the efficiency is “bought” at the cost of solid experience and the use of expensive equipment.

We can carry out:

• iPhone 6s battery replacement;
• body replacement;
• dismantling of broken protective glasses with the installation of new ones in their place;
• restoration of the functionality of the buttons;
• changing the image matrix;
• and any other modular repair or board soldering.

iPhone 6s battery replacement and the need for it

The manufacturer assures that the battery life is enough for 1.5-2 years; however, this applies only to those devices that work flawlessly, and on the condition that the consumer operates his equipment with care. It's time to worry as soon as you notice a drop in the time that the device can work on a single battery charge. Do not in any case bring to a situation where the gadget is not able to come off the outlet without immediate shutdown; and if it does occur, then all the more you need a professional iPhone 6s battery replacement.

Only specialists can figure out, for example, whether the matter is really in the battery, or the power controller, the battery turned out to be deformed (or perhaps the microcircuits responsible for the indication, the charging connector were damaged, or a failure occurred in the software shell - IOS is also not free of problems). Therefore, please do not take the ongoing diagnostics as an attempt to drag out time or increase consumer costs. We have specialized equipment at our disposal, which just guarantees high quality of work, its efficiency, the exclusion of deformation of individual components and the stable restoration of the device's chargeability.

iPhone 6s battery replacement is not just quick

We know very well that most owners of mobile equipment are busy people who are unlikely to be able to find at least an hour or an hour and a half to travel through metropolitan traffic jams to a service workshop. Therefore, our services also include the replacement of the iPhone 6s battery with the departure of the master to the address you specified; all necessary preliminary consultations are carried out by phone or by e-mail. Our employees agree in advance on the place and time of the meeting, and strictly comply with their obligations.

With departure it is carried out with the same guarantee in duration as in the walls of the workshop. Please note that the rapid discharge of the battery system when the entire device is very warm (even if it is turned off) may indicate very serious problems. In this case, you need not to order a simple battery change, but deep monitoring in order to urgently find the defect and fix it - otherwise you will have to put the iPhone in the trash can very quickly.

And one more thing: replacing the battery on an iPhone 6s requires disconnecting the screens from the motherboards (in the future, of course, they will need to be connected again). This is not a job for an ordinary radio amateur, and even if you are used to dealing with a screwdriver and a soldering iron, all the same, professional help is somehow more reliable and calmer for the consumer.

iPhone 6s battery replacement

It's easy to determine.

In late 2017, it was revealed that Apple was artificially reducing the peak performance of iPhones with worn-out batteries in order to prevent accidental shutdowns. Company confessed in that, apologized for not telling about the “feature” properly in time and launching replacement program batteries at a reduced price. In Russia, the cost of official battery replacement under the Apple program is 1690-2500 rubles. Is it worth spending money?

Yes, if your battery is in bad condition

Replacing the battery in the iPhone 6/6 Plus, iPhone 6s/6s Plus, iPhone SE and iPhone 7/7 Plus under the Apple program for the whole of 2018 will be estimated at 1690-2500 rubles, depending on the service center. The usual cost of replacing the battery in these models is from 6,900 rubles.

Thus, from the point of view of financial benefits, the question of the need to replace the battery in the iPhone under the Apple program is not worth it, since more than 4,000 rubles will be saved.

In terms of benefits, battery replacement is recommended for those iPhones whose batteries are in poor condition. A feature that reduces the performance of iPhone 6/6 Plus, iPhone 6s/6s Plus, iPhone SE, and iPhone 7/7 Plus is triggered when the battery capacity drops to 80%. When replacing such a battery with a new one, the speed of the smartphone will greatly increase. And, of course, autonomy will seriously increase, because it will correspond to the state of the new device.

It turns out that the expediency of replacing the battery in the iPhone can be determined by checking the condition of the battery. This can be done using this application or with the help this utility for PC. If your iPhone's battery capacity is below the critical 80% level, then a battery replacement is highly recommended. You should also consider replacing the battery at such a low cost if the battery condition drops below 85%. In the latter case, you will not increase performance, since the device is not slowed down, but you will significantly increase the iPhone's battery life without recharging.

Obvious life hack

It is very important to note that Apple's battery replacement program will be available at a huge discount until the end of 2018. This means that if your battery capacity is still far from both critical and ideal levels, such as 89%, then the ideal option for you would be to check and replace the battery in the second half of 2018.

). Fortunately, the process of disassembling and replacing the battery on the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus is not very difficult. We have covered it in detail in this guide.

Difficulty: medium.
Time required: 20-50 minutes.

What you need

• Phillips (1.2 mm, 2.2 mm, 2.8 mm, 2.9 mm) and pentagonal 3.4 mm (Pentalobe) screwdrivers.
• Sucker.
• Dielectric spatula (Spudger).
• Plastic tool.
• Tweezers.
• New battery for iPhone 6s/6s Plus .

Step 1 Remove the two 3.4mm P2 Pentalobe screws next to the Lightning connector.

Step 2 Attach the suction cup to the lower left corner of the iPhone display. Please note that unlike many other iPhone models, you cannot place the suction cup over the Home button when disassembling the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus.

Step 3. While holding the iPhone, pull up on the suction cup until there is a small gap between the bezel and the back of the case (as shown in the image below). Important! Pull slowly, without sudden movements, so as not to damage the device.

Step 4. Place the flat edge of the dielectric spatula into the gap between the screen and the body in the lower left corner (near the audio jack). Using this location when parsing is the safest.

Step 5 Rotate the paddle 90 degrees to widen the gap between the front bezel and the rest of the smartphone.

Step 6. Insert the flat end of a dielectric spatula into the gap between the display and the body on the left side of the smartphone. Swipe the spatula to the top left corner to peel off the adhesive and release the clips.

Step 7. Do the same procedure first on the bottom edge.

And then on the right side.

Step 8Pull the suction cup to open the display to an angle up to 90 degrees to remove any remaining adhesive. Then remove the suction cup.

Step 9. Open the iPhone case by lifting the front up to an angle of about 90 degrees. For greater convenience and safety when working with a smartphone, it is recommended to lean it against something, for example, against the packaging from the iPhone. For reliability, the smartphone and the box can be fastened with an elastic band.

Step 10 Remove the two screws securing the battery cable holder:

• One 2.9mm screw.
• One 2.2mm screw.

Step 11 Using tweezers, remove the plate.

Step 12 Using the sharp end of a dielectric spatula or a plastic tool, disconnect the battery cable.

Step 13. Move the cable away from the connector in order to avoid accidental connection of the cable during operation.

Step 14 Remove the four screws:

• Three 1.2mm screws.
• One 2.8mm screw.

Step 15 Remove the LCD cable holder.

Step 16: Disconnect the front camera cable.

Step 17 Disconnect the touch display cable. Important! When reassembling iPhone and connecting the touch display cable, do not press on the center of the cable at any time. To connect, first press on one end of the cable, and then on the other. Pressing the center of the cable may damage the digitizer.

Step 18 Disconnect the data cable.

Step 19. The front panel is completely detached from the back of the case! Set the display aside.

Step 20 Using blunt tweezers, peel back the two adhesive strips on the bottom edge of the battery. Important! Use only blunt tweezers or peel back the strips with your fingers. Puncture of a lithium-ion battery may release hazardous chemicals. Important! Hold the battery while removing the second strip.

Step 23 Only for iPhone 6s Plus. Gather the ends of all three adhesive strips into one bundle. Important! Try not to twist the strips, always keeping them straight.

Step 24 Gently pull the strips towards the bottom of the iPhone. Pull slowly and try not to let the strips come into contact with the smartphone component to avoid tearing.

Step 25: Remove the old battery and install the new battery with adhesive strips ( how to stick).

Step 26: Reassemble your iPhone.