Late last year, Apple Inc. admitted it throttles the performance of older iPhones, which according to the company avoids sudden shutdowns due to aging batteries. Following outrage from some consumers and subsequent lawsuits, Apple apologized last week for keeping the whole process a secret.

In an attempt to get back on the good side of consumers, Apple announced it would offer a $50 discount on all battery replacements for iPhone 6 or later. Following the company’s announcement, some consumers reported that some Apple staff were refusing to do the replacement if the battery passed Apple’s diagnostics testing. Normally if a battery reports a capacity of above 80 percent, a consumer would not be eligible for a replacement.

Now Apple has clarified that all owners of an iPhone 6 or later will be eligible for a battery replacement, regardless of the battery passing the diagnostics testing, as long as the consumer is willing to pay the reduced cost of $29. This is because the performance throttling that Apple uses can kick in before the battery hits the 80 percent capacity threshold.

Various other smartphone manufacturers, including Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., LG Corp., HTC Corp. and Motorola Inc. came out after Apple’s apology to state that they don’t employ the same performance throttling practices as the tech giant. What’s more, the problem could even affect iPhone sales. “While this is a good PR move for Apple to resolve the issue, we are concerned it could be a mild headwind for iPhone unit sales if more iPhone users decide to take the offer instead of upgrading to a new device,” Barclay’s Capital Inc. analyst Mark Moskowitz wrote in a note to clients. “Our base case scenario analysis suggests that around 16M iPhone units could be at risk in C2018 due to the battery replacement offer, creating 4 percent downside risk to our current C2018 revenue estimate.”

The reduced battery replacement fee will last for the rest of 2018. For consumers outside of the U.S., a similar discount will be applied. In the U.K. the battery replacement fee is reduced to £25, while in Australia consumers will pay AU$39.

The company also plans to issue an iOS update early this year that will provide users with details of the health of their iPhone battery, whether it’s affecting performance and whether a battery replacement would help performance.

If you are eligible for a reduced battery replacement fee, here’s how to get it:

How to get a $29 battery replacement

Requirements: To be eligible for the $29 battery replacement you will need to have an out-of-warranty iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone SE, iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus or iPhone X.

Note: Although the exact battery condition is not relevant to get the replacement, as clarified by Apple, the company could refuse to do the replacement if there is other damage to the device or it finds interfering third-party components.

To get a battery replacement, you can go to an Apple Store or an authorized Apple service center or send your iPhone in by mail. The last option will take the longest time, so you could be without your device for at least a week.

For options one and two, you can schedule an appointment on Apple’s support page. Click iPhone > Battery, Power & Charging > select Battery replacement > Bring in for Repair. Sign in with your Apple ID > select the device you are bringing in for repair > find your nearest Apple store or service center and select a time.

It’s important to note that Apple stores are likely to be incredibly busy with battery replacements. Your selected store or service center could be out of stock of batteries or even if they do have stock the replacement could take anything between a few hours and a few days depending on the number of iPhones ahead of your device in the replacement queue.

To avoid a longer-than-necessary wait, it may be a good idea to wait a few weeks for things to calm down. Remember, Apple is offering the reduced battery replacement fee for the rest of the year, so you have plenty of time.  

When you arrive for your appointment at the Apple store or service center, the staff will likely still perform a diagnostic test, even though the results don’t matter. Your iPhone will then be checked in for the $29 battery replacement.

Image: bigbestapps; Flickr