Was Apple making it difficult to change batteries on iPhones on purpose to make more money?

The subject is nothing new: we are talking about the battery exchange program of iPhones. Yes, that case in which Apple reduced the value of replacing old / old batteries after the policy involving reducing the performance of handsets without making it clear to users.

In addition to the service price discount (which in Brazil went from $ 449 to $ 149 only for iPhones 6 or higher), Apple has implemented the Battery Health feature on iOS 11.3, so we can choose to let the device exploit its full potential. even with an old battery. And what do we have a new polymics over a polymics? Because

iPhone 6s disassembled by iFixit

On the page that covers battery change information, Apple says the following:

If your iPhone has damage that impairs battery replacement, such as a broken screen, this issue must be resolved before replacing the battery. In some cases, there may be a cost associated with the repair.

I see absolutely nothing wrong with that. To change the battery, you need to open the device. And hardly anyone can mount back an iPhone perfectly with a broken screen. So the rule of having to change the broken part first, which somehow interferes with the battery change, perfectly plausible.

What no d to understand Consider a small dent (which does not interfere with anything in the reassembly of the device) as something that should be resolved before changing the battery. And that's what happened to Josh Landsburgh, as reported by BBC. He mailed the device to Apple and received the answer that he could only change the battery if he paid 200 (about $ 970) to solve the problem of the little dent.

They are trying to regain confidence and come back to you with, "Give us more money than you originally intended." I find it shocking, they have enough money, they are Apple.

Something even worse has happened to David Bowler. His phone was working with no problem taking out the old battery. But Apple said there was damage inside the phone, specifically the microphone and front speaker, which would be defective. To settle, he would have to pay 250 (about R $ 1,210); Yes, the phone would be able to change the battery.

Both Landsburgh and Bowler gave up exchanging the battery with Apple and opted for outsourced technical assistance. Guess! The batteries were changed without any problems (the dent apparently didn't bother anything and the microphone / speaker, according to the person who made the change, was in perfect condition).

Attorney Matthew Purcell said, "Consumers are getting annoyed because by the time Apple should be rebuilding trust, it looks like they're putting barriers in people's path to fixing their phones."

iPhone 6s Plus disassembled by iFixit

It would be normal if we were talking about two isolated cases (after all, all companies are subject to such errors). The problem is that some readers of some sites who have commented on such news (such as 9to5Mac) They have already raised their hands saying that something similar is happening to them as well.

That is, we have two options here:

  1. Apple actually missed these ratings even though they are “many” customers, we are talking about a very, very low percentage taking into account the thousands / million cases of battery replacement;
  2. The company is purposefully hampering the process of battery replacement in order to profit more.

I strongly believe that this is the first case, precisely because of the number of reports as soon as they emerged. Still, groups that protect consumer rights are already eyeing the possible problem. We will see the unfolding of this story.