SPRING LAKE, Mich. — When customers need to replace the battery on a new iPhone, Apple is encouraging customers to get it done at an Apple Store instead of an independent phone repair shop.
If the battery on the newest iPhone models XR, XS or XS Max is not replaced at an Apple Store, the phone will no longer display battery health in the settings menu. Critics of the company say the battery replacement takes much longer at an Apple Store and many customers must travel long distances to find one.
"A lot of customers are half an hour or an hour or more away, and the battery replacement can take a couple of hours," says Sam Ventocilla of Lakeshore Tech in Spring Lake. "At third party repair shops, it typically takes under an hour and they are typically under 10 minutes away from you."
Ventocilla says he believes Apple added the update to draw consumers into the Apple Store where representatives can try to sell them a new phone instead of just a new battery.
“They make the vast majority of profits in selling the phone and not doing the battery replacements,” he explains. “Often times they will try to sell you a replacement phone instead of selling you a new battery.”
The staff at Lakeshore Tech says they expect Apple will not change the battery replacement policy on their newest iPhones and future models unless customers complain on social media and at company stores.
“Apple tends to listen to customers who are frustrated and upset,” says Ventocilla.
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