Apple Watch - Battery Replacement
Discussion
My Series 7 is now at the stage where it doesn't really last an entire day without a charge now.
It looks like a 'battery replacement' at Apple is £99. This clause in the small print concerns me though:
"Battery service is only available if diagnostic tests report that only 80 percent of the full charge capacity is available after a complete charge cycle."
So basically if the battery is below 80% usable capacity I have to buy a new watch?!?
I was going to replace it with an Ultra but I've decided I don't actually want to spend that much money. In fact, I don't even really want to spend £300 to be honest, I have a case full of watches I would sooner be wearing, but just want the functionality for notifications and exercise tracking now.
Aftermarket services are available, as are DIY options.
Has anyone been in a similar position and done the DIY option, or found a half decent 3rd party supplier?
It looks like a 'battery replacement' at Apple is £99. This clause in the small print concerns me though:
"Battery service is only available if diagnostic tests report that only 80 percent of the full charge capacity is available after a complete charge cycle."
So basically if the battery is below 80% usable capacity I have to buy a new watch?!?
I was going to replace it with an Ultra but I've decided I don't actually want to spend that much money. In fact, I don't even really want to spend £300 to be honest, I have a case full of watches I would sooner be wearing, but just want the functionality for notifications and exercise tracking now.
Aftermarket services are available, as are DIY options.
Has anyone been in a similar position and done the DIY option, or found a half decent 3rd party supplier?
It’s an ambiguous statement from Apple, but what it means is Apple will ONLY replace batteries that are either at 80% or below.
I was at Apple yesterday for a service appointment as my 18 month old M4 iPad Pro is at 81% although it has been heavily used with 440 cycles. Still not great as a battery is going to cost nearly £200 to replace, and consumer rights don’t Apple as I bought it the US and I’ve just cancelled a trip there unfortunately otherwise I would have got it done there.
I was at Apple yesterday for a service appointment as my 18 month old M4 iPad Pro is at 81% although it has been heavily used with 440 cycles. Still not great as a battery is going to cost nearly £200 to replace, and consumer rights don’t Apple as I bought it the US and I’ve just cancelled a trip there unfortunately otherwise I would have got it done there.
spitfire-ian said:
davek_964 said:
I guess one of us is reading it wrong, but my interpretation of that is : Battery service is only available if the total charge available is 80% or less.
That would be my interpretation too.Still can't decide if DIY is a sensible option or not.
Just get a Garmin. Made the switch 6 months ago and have been amazed how good it is.
Also it lasts several week on a charge.
It took me a couple weeks before I was thinking "this is the watch Apple should've made", I just can't understand how Apple haven't really progressed the main functions of the watch - tracking fitness beyond a few updates when it launched aside from maybe one update a year.
Also it lasts several week on a charge.
It took me a couple weeks before I was thinking "this is the watch Apple should've made", I just can't understand how Apple haven't really progressed the main functions of the watch - tracking fitness beyond a few updates when it launched aside from maybe one update a year.
Apple don't replace the batteries in their watches - they give you a new watch of the same type, or if they can't do that, the next 'one up' in age and/or spec.
My wifes AW required a battery and she got back a brand new model of the same type (AW7 Rose Gold), but with wireless and cellular, when hers was wireless only. Worth it for less than £100 compared to a new SE.
As to Garmin - I just bought a Fenix 7 Pro Solar Sapphire from John Lewis, reduced from about £800 to £379. It's an old-ish model now, and getting youtube music to download tracks was a pain and I nearly returned it, but now I love it. The battery life was a big bugbear for me with my Apple Watch, and as I only want music on a run, sleep tracking and other fitness stuff, it's perfect so far. And having a sapphire glass, titanium and nylon case is much less stressful than wearing my AW10.
My wifes AW required a battery and she got back a brand new model of the same type (AW7 Rose Gold), but with wireless and cellular, when hers was wireless only. Worth it for less than £100 compared to a new SE.
As to Garmin - I just bought a Fenix 7 Pro Solar Sapphire from John Lewis, reduced from about £800 to £379. It's an old-ish model now, and getting youtube music to download tracks was a pain and I nearly returned it, but now I love it. The battery life was a big bugbear for me with my Apple Watch, and as I only want music on a run, sleep tracking and other fitness stuff, it's perfect so far. And having a sapphire glass, titanium and nylon case is much less stressful than wearing my AW10.
It needs to be below 80% for them to do the paid for battery service (or the Apple Care replacement if you have that).
If it is above 80% then they won't do the paid for battery service and quote some silly price for repair that is effectively the cost of a new watch.
And my recommendation from having it done a couple of years ago, is to do it via the online service as the staff in the Apple stores are a bit dim and/or untrained and try to tell you it is the high repair cost rather than it being the lower battery service cost.
As others have mentioned, they don't replace the battery and you just get a replacement watch - effectively one of the refurbished watches that are indistinguishable from new.
If it is above 80% then they won't do the paid for battery service and quote some silly price for repair that is effectively the cost of a new watch.
And my recommendation from having it done a couple of years ago, is to do it via the online service as the staff in the Apple stores are a bit dim and/or untrained and try to tell you it is the high repair cost rather than it being the lower battery service cost.
As others have mentioned, they don't replace the battery and you just get a replacement watch - effectively one of the refurbished watches that are indistinguishable from new.
robsa said:
Apple don't replace the batteries in their watches - they give you a new watch of the same type, or if they can't do that, the next 'one up' in age and/or spec.
My wifes AW required a battery and she got back a brand new model of the same type (AW7 Rose Gold), but with wireless and cellular, when hers was wireless only. Worth it for less than £100 compared to a new SE.
This is interesting information when I consider I have an AW4.....until I read this, I felt it was totally not worth it when considering the price of a new AW *something*.My wifes AW required a battery and she got back a brand new model of the same type (AW7 Rose Gold), but with wireless and cellular, when hers was wireless only. Worth it for less than £100 compared to a new SE.
Have a "like"
Sheepshanks said:
eeLee said:
This is interesting information when I consider I have an AW4.....until I read this, I felt it was totally not worth it when considering the price of a new AW *something*.
Have a "like"
errr ..nice thought but that s not going to work on an AW4!Have a "like"
So if you can go to Apple and book a battery service then you will get a new watch. What it will be depends on what stock they have still - maybe they still have AW4's, maybe you'll get an AW5 or something.... dunno. But you should get a brand new one anyway.
robsa said:
Actually, it probably is. Apple say on their website that they still do battery replacement for an AW4. It's really odd though, when we brought my wife's watch in the Apple tech was looking at the watch checking for scratches and taking photos 'to make sure you receive it back in the same condition'... I asked don't they just give us a new one and he acted like he had no idea what I was talking about. I thought the information I had been given must be wrong, but lo, when we returned to collect it, it was a brand-new one which now mysterious had slightly increased in size and got data!
So if you can go to Apple and book a battery service then you will get a new watch. What it will be depends on what stock they have still - maybe they still have AW4's, maybe you'll get an AW5 or something.... dunno. But you should get a brand new one anyway.
I just looked and I see AW6 (and SE) as the oldest listed. AW4 is well out of update support now - I'd guess that cuts them off.So if you can go to Apple and book a battery service then you will get a new watch. What it will be depends on what stock they have still - maybe they still have AW4's, maybe you'll get an AW5 or something.... dunno. But you should get a brand new one anyway.
I wonder if they examine the watches on receipt? The cost of repair for other than a battery replacement is many hundreds - could you send a broken one for a battery replacement and they'd juts swap it?
Closing the loop, the Genius guy was impressed I have a series 4 that still works pretty well but no-can-do on the battery replacement - it has to be a current model. I did offer to come back in 10 years and sell it as a collector's item.....
Back to Plan A then, buying a new one. At some point.
Back to Plan A then, buying a new one. At some point.
Sheepshanks said:
I just looked and I see AW6 (and SE) as the oldest listed. AW4 is well out of update support now - I'd guess that cuts them off.
I wonder if they examine the watches on receipt? The cost of repair for other than a battery replacement is many hundreds - could you send a broken one for a battery replacement and they'd juts swap it?
Ah yes, thats true. AW6 is the minimum. And no, I dont think a broken one would work as they tested my wife's. But I'm not sure about that.I wonder if they examine the watches on receipt? The cost of repair for other than a battery replacement is many hundreds - could you send a broken one for a battery replacement and they'd juts swap it?
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