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Apple Is Locking iPhone Batteries to Discourage Repair

posted by janrinok on Thursday August 08 2019, @12:35PM   Printer-friendly
from the can't-stand-competition dept.

An Anonymous Coward writes:

https://www.ifixit.com/News/apple-is-locking-batteries-to-iphones-now

By activating a dormant software lock on their newest iPhones, Apple is effectively announcing a drastic new policy: only Apple batteries can go in iPhones, and only they can install them.

If you replace the battery in the newest iPhones, a message indicating you need to service your battery appears in Settings > Battery, next to Battery Health. The "Service" message is normally an indication that the battery is degraded and needs to be replaced. The message still shows up when you put in a brand new battery, however. Here's the bigger problem: our lab tests confirmed that even when you swap in a genuine Apple battery, the phone will still display the "Service" message.

It's not a bug; it's a feature Apple wants. Unless an Apple Genius or an Apple Authorized Service Provider authenticates a battery to the phone, that phone will never show its battery health and always report a vague, ominous problem.

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  • (Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday August 08 2019, @03:23PM (3 children)

    by Anonymous Coward on Thursday August 08 2019, @03:23PM (#877502)

    What lame displays of envy when it comes to phones with a 500$ difference between average and top of the line models, 1000$ for computers, yet they probably drive cars with price difference in the thousands, if not tens of thousands.

    And this fool gets a +5 insightful.

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  • (Score: 5, Touché) by Acabatag on Thursday August 08 2019, @03:29PM

    by Acabatag (2885) on Thursday August 08 2019, @03:29PM (#877508)

    Envy? Really? You've got to be kidding.

  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday August 08 2019, @03:54PM (1 child)

    by Anonymous Coward on Thursday August 08 2019, @03:54PM (#877520)

    Envy??? Of an Apple fanboy? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday August 08 2019, @10:16PM

      by Anonymous Coward on Thursday August 08 2019, @10:16PM (#877648)

      Apple victims are almost beyond pity. How can anyone be fine with this ongoing nonsense - ports, batteries, etc. Any other brand would have crashed by now. Apple products are indeed 'lovely golden handcuffs'...