Apple makes concession: iPhones with batteries you’ve replaced can also be repaired

According to foreign media reports, Apple's internal documents show that iPhones equipped with third-party batteries are now eligible for repair at Apple Store Genius Bars and authorized service providers. Previously, Apple's policy stipulated that if a user's iPhone was repaired using unofficial third-party accessories before being sent for repair, then it would not be eligible for any type of repair service, which means that replacing the iPhone battery by yourself would be very risky.

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Apple technicians can now reportedly perform non-battery-related repairs, such as the microphone, circuit board or display, even if they open the phone and find that the user has replaced the battery themselves.

Apple technicians will reportedly be allowed to replace third-party batteries at a standard fee. Related media also reported that if the battery label is damaged, missing, or has excessive adhesive, the technician can replace the entire iPhone at the cost of replacing the battery at his discretion. This makes Apple seem particularly generous.

Batteries are the only third-party accessories accepted by Apple's strict repair policy. The company previously changed its repair policy in 2017 to allow iPhones with third-party displays to be repaired. The policy change came as consumers realized that replacing batteries could extend the life of their phones. After Apple throttled the performance of older phones in the name of extending battery life and reduced the cost of $79 battery replacements to $29, iPhone users replaced more batteries than ever before, affecting sales of new iPhones.

Despite resistance from Apple and other major tech companies to the Right to Repair Act, which requires company repair policies to allow users to repair their devices themselves, users continue to fix their devices themselves. Now, it's a good thing for consumers that Apple is opening up its repair service to phones with third-party batteries.