D.C. Launches A Battery Recycling Program for Drop-Offs
After admitting to purposefully slowing down batteries of older iPhone models and briefly providing a $29 battery replacement program for affected iPhone models, Apple is still heavily dealing with consumer complaints on battery life. And their latest solution? A smart battery case that can charge your phone up to a day and a half. The silicone case will be compatible with the iPhone XS, XS Max and XR models. But if you think Apple’s iPhones are expensive, consider that each of these optional cases fetches $129.
The announcement follows the company’s recent outlook revenue revision for Q1 2019, which was adjusted due to the overwhelming number of battery replacements the company conducted back in 2018.
Apple reported having experienced 11 times as many battery replacements during 2018 than they predicted. That is a significant hit the company. Just think about it, if 11 million people replaced their iPhone’s battery for just $29 rather than spending $1,000 to upgrade to a new iPhone, that would roughly equate to $11 billion in lost revenue. And after such a hit, Apple has been scrambling to find ways to get consumers back in the stores.
With the release of the Apple Smart Battery Case, it is likely that the tech giant is targeting iPhone users who, whether they participated in the battery replacement program or not, are still on the fence about shelling out a pretty penny when the device’s battery will be purposely slowed down one day. The idea is that yes, while your iPhone may one day be subject to Apple’s aged battery slowdown, there are still ways that the company is trying to help your phone stay with you longer. There is some appeal with the smart case, not only is it completely compatible with your device, but it boasts a pretty good power lifecycle – you get about an extra day’s worth of juice for your device.
It’s easy to use. You just slide your iPhone into the case and into the Lightning port built into the bottom of it. You can charge your iPhone and the case by plugging them into a wall together: the case is smart enough to charge your iPhone first before it begins filling its own tank. You can also just drop it on a wireless charger, which is convenient, however it has been reported that it takes a bit longer to fully charge the case this way.
But will Apple successfully get people to upgrade to a new device? For the additional cost of what amounts to be a clunky way to extend an iPhone’s battery life, this probably isn’t the device to get consumers talking. Especially when there are various other battery pack cases from reputable brands like Anker, that sells for less than half Apple’s asking price.
However, there is one silver lining to 11 million customers paying to replace their batteries. If this number is accurate, then Apple would have made around $319 million in revenue from battery replacements alone. It also means 11 million people continuing to pay for Apple services instead of switching to Android devices.
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