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My iPhone 8 Plus battery capacity has dropped to 76%. Too bad they don't support older devices. Going to Apple care and waiting hours to get battery replaced is

My iPhone 8 Plus battery capacity has dropped to 76%. Too bad they don't support older devices. Going to Apple care and waiting hours to get battery replaced is too much hassle. I guess I should give the iFixit battery kit a chance.

windowsrookie 4y ago
This just shows people will complain no matter what. Apple charges $49 to replace an iPhone 8 battery. You don't have to physically wait at the store for "hours", you can drop it off and pick it up later. Or you can mail it to Apple and they mail it back in 3-5 business days. https://support.apple.com/iphone/repair/service/battery-power https://support.apple.com/iphone/repair/service/battery-powe... Name any other phone manufacturer that offers a better service.
- user_7832 4y ago
  > Name any other phone manufacturer that offers a better service. If the "best" company still activity tries to screw customers over (see: planned obsolescence and almost everything apple has done until now, Louis Rossman's YouTube channel etc), then I'm afraid the bar is part of the foundation, it's so underground. That's not something to be proud of at all.
  - dan-robertson 4y ago
    The iPhone 8 was released in autumn 2017, 4.5 years ago. It still gets regular software updates for security and new features and the hardware performs well compared to newer smartphones (Apple chips have been loads better than other mobile chips for a long time so an Apple chip from a year or two ago is often bested only by the newer apple chips in metrics like single-threaded performance or power efficiency). I think it is mostly silly to accuse apple of planned obsolescence when their hardware functions well (and retains its value) for much longer than the hardware produced by their competitors. It feels to me that paying for one phone 4.5 years ago, and $50 for a battery replacement (all lithium ion batteries degrade over time) that will extend its useful life is a pretty efficient use of money.
    - user_7832 4y ago
      The issue is that software is useless without proper hardware. While their software support is admirable, their hardware philosophy, design and real-life practice (eg pricing a screen repair almost similar to a new phone) is anything but.
      - IfOnlyYouKnew 4y ago
        iPhone XR cost at launch: $849. Screen replacement: $199. Also, as far as I can tell, screens have stopped breaking at some point? I used to reliably break the screen before the two-year replacement cycle was up. Except for the last two generations, which survived, and not for lack of dropping them.
  - windowsrookie 4y ago
    Apple released an IOS update for the iPhone 6s last month. That's 7 years of software updates. A 2015 MacBook can still run the newest OS. A Mac Pro from 2013 can still run the newest OS. You can still buy a replacement battery from Apple for a 7 year old device. Where is the planned obsolescence? Apple is supporting their devices longer than any other consumer tech company. How are they actively trying to "screw customers over"?
    - kurupt213 4y ago
      Microsoft supports hardware way longer than apple, and many more configurations
    - simonh 4y ago
      You can’t argue with these people. Almost double the software support period and average device service life of the nearest competitors still counts as ‘planned obsolescence’, yet none of those competitors get dinged for their device lifetimes. It’s complete dislocation from reality.
      - user_7832 4y ago
        Mate did you even read my comment before replying? > yet none of those competitors get dinged for their device lifetimes. It’s complete dislocation from reality. I literally said that if Apple is the best the rest (the "standard" or bar) is underground. To paraphrase/reiterate: I think other companies are doing an even shittier job. > It’s complete dislocation from reality. I must concur.
        simonh 4y ago
        My point is even when they go to far greater lengths than the others, they’re still criticised (including by you) of actively reducing device lifetime. That is absurd. Vague references to a ‘bar’ without even mentioning their competitors even as a genetic group is hardly equivalent to targeted named criticism of the company.
      - DSingularity 4y ago
  - xvector 4y ago
    I stopped reading when I saw "Apple" and "planned obsolescence" in the same sentence. The company is practically the poster child for long-lived products.
- munk-a 4y ago
  Just because everyone else is more terrible doesn't mean Apple still isn't terrible. It's a design decision to use proprietary batteries that are difficult to change by consumers and can't be easily manufactured by third parties. Batteries aren't expensive enough to warrant that kind of service charge.
  - greedo 4y ago
    Aren't iFixit's batteries third party?
  - TameAntelope 4y ago
    The point is that's not terrible, it's actually pretty good, considering all of the work they do to optimize every square millimeter in their phones.
    - deleted 4y ago
      [deleted]
    - jader201 4y ago
      I think this is the root issue many people have been complaining about for years: Apple’s obsession with “smaller”. Many people would be happy with a larger phone, if it meant you could access it a little easier to repair it — or replace the battery, which most people wouldn’t consider a “repair” — yourself.
      - mynameisvlad 4y ago
        Would many people? The HN crowd, sure, but the general population? I don't think they consider repairability and battery replacement, let alone put it above the device "looking good".
      - KerrAvon 4y ago
        You’re conflating MacBooks and phones. Size matters for things you put in your pocket and purse, less so for something like a serious pro laptop.
- Rediscover 4y ago
  Teracube? https://myteracube.com/ https://myteracube.com/ They have an interesting flat-fee for repairs and a four-year warranty, plus official rooting instructions on their forum. I'm using the Teracube One as my main mobile phone.
  - sneak 4y ago
    Looks like it comes with standard Google spyware Android, not a f/oss one with the spyware (Google Play Services) removed/optional. It might be an interesting choice if it ran a better OS.
- AussieWog93 4y ago
  >Name any other phone manufacturer that offers a better service. Pretty much all of them back in 2013. You'd just buy a new battery, peel off the back of the shell and plop it in. Didn't need to live in a country with proper manufacturer support, didn't need to go without a phone for a week while they fixed it, just swap 'n' go.
  - ed25519FUUU 4y ago
    Are any new smart phones from a major manufacturer like this?
    - stodor89 4y ago
      Samsung Galaxy Xcover
    - jamesmunns 4y ago
      Fairphone’s entire line
      - KerrAvon 4y ago
        “major”
    - opan 4y ago
      PinePhone
- skipnup 4y ago
  Samsung has a repair bus that come to your home or workplace and fixes the battery or anything else workout you having to drive into the city to a store or not having access for multiple days. (At least in Germany)
arthurmorgan 4y ago
My local Apple Store replaced my battery in <1h for ~70€. Maybe that's fast enough for you.
Pathogen-David 4y ago
It's honestly not that hard as long as you're patient and can follow instructions. I replaced both the battery and lightning port in my iPhone 6s with parts from iFixit and was more than happy with the results. That being said, I mainly did it myself because I like doing this sort of thing and there's no Apple Store near me. I'd also heard of them refusing partial repair when you have a damaged display and I had a crack on the corner.

windowsrookie 4y ago

This just shows people will complain no matter what. Apple charges $49 to replace an iPhone 8 battery. You don't have to physically wait at the store for "hours", you can drop it off and pick it up later. Or you can mail it to Apple and they mail it back in 3-5 business days. https://support.apple.com/iphone/repair/service/battery-power https://support.apple.com/iphone/repair/service/battery-powe... Name any other phone manufacturer that offers a better service.

user_7832 4y ago
> Name any other phone manufacturer that offers a better service. If the "best" company still activity tries to screw customers over (see: planned obsolescence and almost everything apple has done until now, Louis Rossman's YouTube channel etc), then I'm afraid the bar is part of the foundation, it's so underground. That's not something to be proud of at all.
- dan-robertson 4y ago
  The iPhone 8 was released in autumn 2017, 4.5 years ago. It still gets regular software updates for security and new features and the hardware performs well compared to newer smartphones (Apple chips have been loads better than other mobile chips for a long time so an Apple chip from a year or two ago is often bested only by the newer apple chips in metrics like single-threaded performance or power efficiency). I think it is mostly silly to accuse apple of planned obsolescence when their hardware functions well (and retains its value) for much longer than the hardware produced by their competitors. It feels to me that paying for one phone 4.5 years ago, and $50 for a battery replacement (all lithium ion batteries degrade over time) that will extend its useful life is a pretty efficient use of money.
  - user_7832 4y ago
    The issue is that software is useless without proper hardware. While their software support is admirable, their hardware philosophy, design and real-life practice (eg pricing a screen repair almost similar to a new phone) is anything but.
    - IfOnlyYouKnew 4y ago
      iPhone XR cost at launch: $849. Screen replacement: $199. Also, as far as I can tell, screens have stopped breaking at some point? I used to reliably break the screen before the two-year replacement cycle was up. Except for the last two generations, which survived, and not for lack of dropping them.
- windowsrookie 4y ago
  Apple released an IOS update for the iPhone 6s last month. That's 7 years of software updates. A 2015 MacBook can still run the newest OS. A Mac Pro from 2013 can still run the newest OS. You can still buy a replacement battery from Apple for a 7 year old device. Where is the planned obsolescence? Apple is supporting their devices longer than any other consumer tech company. How are they actively trying to "screw customers over"?
  - kurupt213 4y ago
    Microsoft supports hardware way longer than apple, and many more configurations
  - simonh 4y ago
    You can’t argue with these people. Almost double the software support period and average device service life of the nearest competitors still counts as ‘planned obsolescence’, yet none of those competitors get dinged for their device lifetimes. It’s complete dislocation from reality.
    - user_7832 4y ago
      Mate did you even read my comment before replying? > yet none of those competitors get dinged for their device lifetimes. It’s complete dislocation from reality. I literally said that if Apple is the best the rest (the "standard" or bar) is underground. To paraphrase/reiterate: I think other companies are doing an even shittier job. > It’s complete dislocation from reality. I must concur.
      - simonh 4y ago
        My point is even when they go to far greater lengths than the others, they’re still criticised (including by you) of actively reducing device lifetime. That is absurd. Vague references to a ‘bar’ without even mentioning their competitors even as a genetic group is hardly equivalent to targeted named criticism of the company.
    - DSingularity 4y ago
- xvector 4y ago
  I stopped reading when I saw "Apple" and "planned obsolescence" in the same sentence. The company is practically the poster child for long-lived products.
munk-a 4y ago
Just because everyone else is more terrible doesn't mean Apple still isn't terrible. It's a design decision to use proprietary batteries that are difficult to change by consumers and can't be easily manufactured by third parties. Batteries aren't expensive enough to warrant that kind of service charge.
- greedo 4y ago
  Aren't iFixit's batteries third party?
- TameAntelope 4y ago
  The point is that's not terrible, it's actually pretty good, considering all of the work they do to optimize every square millimeter in their phones.
  - deleted 4y ago
    [deleted]
  - jader201 4y ago
    I think this is the root issue many people have been complaining about for years: Apple’s obsession with “smaller”. Many people would be happy with a larger phone, if it meant you could access it a little easier to repair it — or replace the battery, which most people wouldn’t consider a “repair” — yourself.
    - mynameisvlad 4y ago
      Would many people? The HN crowd, sure, but the general population? I don't think they consider repairability and battery replacement, let alone put it above the device "looking good".
    - KerrAvon 4y ago
      You’re conflating MacBooks and phones. Size matters for things you put in your pocket and purse, less so for something like a serious pro laptop.
Rediscover 4y ago
Teracube? https://myteracube.com/ https://myteracube.com/ They have an interesting flat-fee for repairs and a four-year warranty, plus official rooting instructions on their forum. I'm using the Teracube One as my main mobile phone.
- sneak 4y ago
  Looks like it comes with standard Google spyware Android, not a f/oss one with the spyware (Google Play Services) removed/optional. It might be an interesting choice if it ran a better OS.
AussieWog93 4y ago
>Name any other phone manufacturer that offers a better service. Pretty much all of them back in 2013. You'd just buy a new battery, peel off the back of the shell and plop it in. Didn't need to live in a country with proper manufacturer support, didn't need to go without a phone for a week while they fixed it, just swap 'n' go.
- ed25519FUUU 4y ago
  Are any new smart phones from a major manufacturer like this?
  - stodor89 4y ago
    Samsung Galaxy Xcover
  - jamesmunns 4y ago
    Fairphone’s entire line
    - KerrAvon 4y ago
      “major”
  - opan 4y ago
    PinePhone
skipnup 4y ago
Samsung has a repair bus that come to your home or workplace and fixes the battery or anything else workout you having to drive into the city to a store or not having access for multiple days. (At least in Germany)

arthurmorgan 4y ago

My local Apple Store replaced my battery in <1h for ~70€. Maybe that's fast enough for you.

Pathogen-David 4y ago

It's honestly not that hard as long as you're patient and can follow instructions. I replaced both the battery and lightning port in my iPhone 6s with parts from iFixit and was more than happy with the results. That being said, I mainly did it myself because I like doing this sort of thing and there's no Apple Store near me. I'd also heard of them refusing partial repair when you have a damaged display and I had a crack on the corner.