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iPhone customer is upset with Apple over the lack of a user-replaceable battery

The iPhone has been parading through news headlines ever since its early January unveil at MacWorld 2007. When the bulk of the tech press was roaming around Las Vegas totally underwhelmed by the Consumer Electronics Show, Apple was spilling the beans on a product that had been long rumored.

During its unveil, Apple went over the bulk of the iPhone's features and reporters were quick to point out its deficiencies. A few minuses that were harped upon with regards to the iPhone included its lack of a physical keyboard and its sealed battery.

The lack of a physical keyboard has been overcome by many iPhones users who have become accustomed to the on-screen alternative, but many still harp on the lack of a user-replaceable battery.

Apple claims that the iPhone's battery is good for 400 charge/discharge cycles. The design specifications for the iPhone note that the battery will retain 80 percent of its charge after 400 cycles have been exhausted.

For those that weren't satisfied with 400 charge cycles or experience greatly diminished battery life, Apple announced its $85.95 battery replacement program. Under the program, customers would pay $79 plus $6.95 shipping in the event of an iPhone battery failure. And considering that users would be without an iPhone a week or more for repairs, Apple also announced that it would rent an iPhone ($29) to those who couldn't be without a phone.

iPhone users now have a cheaper option with AppleCare coverage. AppleCare extends the iPhone's warranty from one year to two years and is available for $69.

One iPhone customer wasn't happy at all with the iPhone's battery life or the two alternatives to replacing a defective battery and filed a class-action lawsuit against Apple as a result. In the suit, Jose Trujillo claims that:

Unknown to the Plaintiff, and undisclosed to the public, prior to purchase, the iPhone is a sealed unit with its battery soldered on the inside of the device so that it cannot be changed by the owner.

The suit goes on state:

The battery enclosed in the iPhone can only be charged approximately 300 times before it will be in need of replacement, necessitating a new battery annually for owners of the iPhone.

To the first point; the fact that the battery was not replaceable was disclosed to the public from the very beginning and is nothing new. Secondly, the suit claims that the iPhone battery can only be charged for 300 times before it needs replacement. Apple clearly states that the iPhone’s battery will retain 80 percent capacity even after its design specifications of 400 cycles.

The full text of the complaint can be viewed at Gizmodo, but it's doubtful that the suit will gain much traction in court.

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RE: Silly
By SirLucius on 7/27/2007 5:09:15 PM , Rating: 3
That's very true. But let's think about this. If you're able to afford a $500-600 phone plus service contract, I'm 99% sure you'll also have a computer able to run iTunes 7.3. And when looking at the iPhone options in iTunes it seems pretty simple to backup information from the phone to your computer. In fact, if I recall correctly, Apple stated somewhere that it highly advised to backup your iPhone to your computer before sending it in for a battery replacement. So if you're that concerned about losing info, or info getting leaked, backup and wipe your phone before sending it in.

Don't get me wrong, I think the lack of an user-replaceable battery on the iPhone is a HUGE ommission, and Apple should include one in later revisions of the phone. But if you don't bother to research before purchasing a $600 phone, that's on you, not Apple, regardless of what their phone SHOULD be able to do.


RE: Silly
By MADAOO7 on 7/28/2007 6:39:52 PM , Rating: 3
SirLucious, the lack of a replaceable battery was not an oversight at all, but intentional in order for the iPhone to have such a small form factor. The same goes for why the phone lacks 3G ability.

http://www.anandtech.com/showdoc.aspx?i=3036&p=6


RE: Silly
By SiliconAddict on 7/29/2007 4:01:04 AM , Rating: 4
That is a load of bullcrap. I've taken apart a crap load of PDA's and phones over the years and I can tell you right now the amount of space needed to add a removable battery and connectors is marginal at best. At most you are adding length to the thing. Not width. This has NOTHING to do with size, and as everything to do with Apple wringing a bit more money out of their iPhone suc....customers.


RE: Silly
By grtgrfx on 7/29/2007 1:00:22 PM , Rating: 2
The only reason the iPhone battery's not replaceable is so Apple doesn't have to a) increase the thickness of the phone to allow a door, and b) so they can retain the unbroken steel back, which strengthens the case. So, mainly for appearance, slightly for structural reinforcement.

Of course they may merely have an exclusive contract with the manufacturers of these extra-slim batteries so that other sellers couldn't acquire them anyway.


"If you look at the last five years, if you look at what major innovations have occurred in computing technology, every single one of them came from AMD. Not a single innovation came from Intel." -- AMD CEO Hector Ruiz in 2007

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