Apple now allowing repairs on iPhones with third-party batteries

Apple quietly instated a new policy in regards to Apple Store repairs. The change was going to allow repairs to iPhones with third-party batteries or displays as long as the problem was unrelated to either of them. MacRumors confirmed that this policy change was done worldwide.

If the repair was only for the battery, the Genius Bar would be allowed to replace the battery with an official Apple battery for the regular cost. If the battery’s tabs were missing or there was excessive adhesive, the technician would be allowed to replace the entire iPhone for only the cost of the battery replacement using case-by-case discretion. This is according to MacRumors who reported about the policy change and its specifics.

This was great news for consumers who'd previously been denied service at a Genius Bar or Apple Authorized Service Provider, but the French Democratic Confederation of Labor was upset that it was not notified of the change before taking effect, particularly because this raises safety concerns for Apple staff.

La direction oublie trop souvent qu’en matière de sécurité, il faut passer par les instances Françaises quand on met en place des nouvelles procédures. #explosionbatterieslithium

— cfdt Pomme R (@CFDTPOMMER) March 3, 2019

The argument for concern is that third party batteries carry higher risk of exploding if they are exposed to stress or puncturing. This is out of Apple’s control as a third-party repair could have been done by anyone who might have used too much adhesive or used low-quality batteries. According to iGeneration, Apple has suspended the policy for the time being – though it isn’t clear if it was suspended just in France or worldwide.

Source 1 | Source 2 (Translated)